THE  FLORIST'S  GUIDE 


OS 

Bridgeman 


^S^i^ 


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S02066602  M 


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200M/09-98-981815 


THE 

FLORIST'S  GUIDE; 

CONTAINING 

PRACTICAL  DIRECTIONS 

FOR   THE 
CULTIVATION  OF  ANN  JAL,  BIENNIAL,    AND    PERENNIAL 

OF    DIFFERENT    CLASSES, 

Herbaceous  and  Shrubby,  Bulbous,  Fibrous  and  Tuberous-rooted ; 

INCLUDING 

THE  DOUBLE  DAHLIA; 

WITH 

A  MONTHLY  CALENDAR, 

Containing  Instructions  for  the 
MANAGEMENT    OF    GREENHOUSE    PLANTS 

THROUGHOUT    THE    YEAR. 

THIRD    EDITION,    ENLARGED  AND    IMPROVED. 


BY  T.  BRIDGEMAN, 

&acUener,  SeeTrsmcm,  ami  JHotfst,  Weto*Yctft 


■/■■rSS-f*  <fWvw~~ 


NEW  YORK: 
For  sale  by  T.  Bridgeman,  corner  of  18th-st.  and  Broadway,  immediately 
north  of  Union  Tiace  Park;  G.  C.  Thorburn,  No.  11,  John  st  ;  Alexander 
Smith,  388  Broadway,  N.  Y.  ;  G  R.  Garretson,  Flushing.  L.  I. ;  Wm 
Thorburn,  Albany;  Reynolds,  and  Bateham,  Rochester ;  Hovey  &  Co'. 
Ellis  and  Bosson,  Joseph  Brcck  and  Co.  Boston  ;  Hirst  and  Dreer,  D 
Landreth  and  Co.  Philadelphia,  J  Cairns,  Newark,  N.  J.;  R.  Sinclair 
Jr.  and  Co.  Baltimore;  J.  F.  Callan,  Washington  City;  Turner  end 
Hughes,  Raleigh,  N.  C;  J.  Houston,  Cleveland;  S.  C.  Parkhurst, 
Cincinnati;  T.  Pringre  and  Co.  New  Orleans  and  Natchez;  John  Thor- 
burn. St.  Louis,  Missouri  ;  and  other  Seedsmen  and  Florists  in  various 
purts  of  the  United  States  ;  also  by  Booksellers  in  general. 


1840. 


»«««%»%%«%•»%««%%«%«««%«%%«%« 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1840,  by 
THOMAS  BRIDGEMAN,  in  the  Clerk's  office,  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Southern  District  of 
New-York, 


PREFACE. 


Perhaps  there  is  no  subject  on  which  the  mind  of  man 
can  ruminate,  that  is  better  calculated  to  afford  substantial 
intellectual  pleasure  and  satisfaction,  than  the  study  of  Na- 
ture ;  especially  if  we  view  it  from  the  consideration,  that  as 
man  is  subservient  to  God,  so  are  all  instinctive  beings,  as 
well  as  all  the  productions  of  the  earth,  subservient  to,  and 
designed  for,  the  use  of  man. 

Man  being  thus  dignified,  and  endowed  with  understanding, 
reason,  and  moral  freedom,  is  exalted  far  above  all  other 
creatures  of  the  earth.  How  important,  then,  that  he  should 
maintain  his  station  in  society  as  becomes  a  rational  and 
intelligent  being,  instead  of  sinking  himself,  as  too  many 
do,  below  the  meanest  of  the  mean,  by  dissipation  and  vice. 

123552 

It  is  a  fact,  which  cannot  be  controverted,  that  the  want  of 
mental  and  manual  employment,  often  proves  an  incentive 
to  vice,  which  will  infallibly  produce  misery ;  and  as  surely 
as  the  earth  will  bring  forth  noxious  weeds,  when  left  uncul- 


1^  PREFACE. 

ti rated,  so  surely  will  one  vice  beget  another;  which,  if  nofc 
eradicated,  will  multiply  to  an  alarming  extent,  until  its  vie 
tims  become  a  pest  to  civil  society,  and  a  disgrace  to 
mankind. 

Now  as  happiness  is  preferable  to  misery,  virtue  to  vice, 
knowledge  to  ignorance,  and  order  to  confusion,  how  impor- 
tant is  it,  that  those  who  make  pretensions  to  rationality 
should  employ  their  leisure  hours  in  a  manner  calculated  to 
insure  the  greatest  amount  of  that  which  is  intrinsically 
valuable. 

What  subject  can  be  better  calculated  to  promote  such  a 
desideratum  than  the  subject  of  cultivation,  when  viewed  in 
all  its  bearings  ?  But  as  we  are  about  treating  of  Flowers,  I 
shall  confine  my  ideas,  as  closely  as  possible,  to  the  object 
in  view  ;  trusting,  that  while  the  hand  is  employed  in  culti- 
vating the  transient  beauties  of  a  garden,  the  attentive 
mind  will  feast  and  fare  daintily  on  the  study  of  Nature,  and 
in  the  end  enrich  itself  with  solid  and  lasting  good.  As  an 
excitement  to  such  study,  the  following  thoughts  are 
submitted. 

Nature  in  itself  is  beautiful,  enchantingly  beautiful,  but  it 
is  the  province  of  man  to  adorn  a  single  spot,  to  collect 
about  him  the  scattered  and  single  beauties,  and  to  see,  and 
feel,  and  enjoy  them.  Nature  is  fruitful,  inexhaustibly  fruit- 
ful ;  but  man  must  improve  her  fertility,  guide  it,  and  give 
itits  most  generally  useful  direction.  Nature  is  full  of  life, 
but  man  is  capable  of  diversifying,  elevating,  and  ennobling 
this  life  ;  and  he  is  amply  rewarded  for  his  labour. 


PREFACE. 

"Thine  is  a  glorious  volume,  Nature  !     Each 
Line,  leaf,  and  page,  are  fill'd  with  living  lore  ; 

Wisdom  more  pure  than  sage  could  ever  teach, 
And  all  philosophy's  divinest  store  ; 

Rich  lessons  rise  where'er  thy  tracks  are  trod — 

The  book  of  Nature  is  the  book  of  God." 


It  may  be  truly  said,  that  the  whole  field  of  Nature  is  laid 
open  to  the  investigation  and  mental  enjoyment  of  man,  and 
that  its  study  is  the  most  accessible,  because  it  is  the  easiest 
as  well  as  the  most  delightful  of  all  studies. 

The  student  in  literature  must  have  his  library,  the  natu- 
ral philosopher  and  chemist,  his  apparatus,  and  the  student 
of  man,  his  annals  and  records;  which  are  frequently  so 
perplexing,  that  much  of  his  time  is  spent  in  testing  their 
correctness,  and  the  results  of  his  study  are  often  far  from 
satisfactory  to  himself.  Whereas  the  tillage  of  the  soil,  in- 
vigorates man's  mental  as  well  as  his  bodily  powers,  and 
elicits  more  deep  science,  and  more  observation,  and  more 
general  acquaintance  with  the  laws  of  Nature  than  any 
other  pursuit  of  life. 

Of  all  recreations,  perhaps  the  cultivation  of  flowers  may 
be  considered  as  the  most  enchanting.  It  is  not  only  con- 
genial to  health,  but  is  calculated  to  attach  man  to  his 
home  ;  and  he  who  delights  in  his  home,  and  feels  disposed 
to  embellish  it,  will  be  likely  to  hasten  to  it  when  he  has 
done  his  business  abroad,  instead  of  wasting  his  time  in  the 
pursuit  of  transient  and  dissolute  pleasure. 

But  I  had  almost  forgotten  that  this  guide  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  beauties  of  Nature,  is  chiefly  designed  for  the 

1* 


VI  PREFACE. 

use  of  the  softer  sex.  I  shall  not  content  myself  by  merely 
offering  an  apology  for  the  digression,  but  will  promise 
to  bear  them  in  mind  throughout  my  studies,  not  doubt- 
ing but  my  humble  endeavours  to  amuse  and  instruct  them 
will  be  duly  appreciated  ;  which,  to  an  author,  is  a  source 
of  inexpressible  satisfaction. 

"Mean  is  the  man  who  never  will  bestow 
A  leaf  of  laurel  on  a  female  brow; 
From  the  chaste  fountain  of  whose  fertile  mind, 
Spring  forth  the  graces  which  adorn  mankind," 

Having  thus  introduced  myself  to  my  fair  readers,  I  shall 
proceed  to  treat  of  the  cultivation  of  the  various  and  most 
admired  kinds  of  flowering  plants  ;  and  I  flatter  myself 
that  if  I  should,  by  implanting  a  taste  for  rural  subjects j 
succeed  in  making  them  good  cultivators,  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  the  word,  that  they  will  be  immeasurably  happy  in 
'The  Matrimonial  Garden,'*  should  they  ever  enter  therein, 
and  in  like  proportion,  as  they  advance  in  the  work  of  cultiva- 
tion, will  they  excel  in  virtue  ;  which  a  wise  man  once 
declared  was  to  a  woman  of  immense  value,  "  far  above 
rubies,"  yea,  even  equal  to  a  glittering  "  crown." 

"A  virtuous  conduct  leaves  behind 
A  lasting  pleasure  in  the  mind, 
Which  by  remembrance,  will  assuage 
Grief,  sickness,  poverty,  and  age  ; 
And  oft  impart  a  cheering  ray, 
To  lumine  life's  declining  day," 

I  would  fain    confess    here,  to   my    fair  readers,   that  I 
have  in  the  course  of  my  studies  occasionally  wandered  from 

*  This  refers  to  an  article  entitled  "  rfhe  Matrimonial  Garden,"   which 
will  be  found  towards  the  end  of  the  book. 


PREFACE.  Vll 

my  accustomed  track,  with  a  view  to  afford  them  mental 
recreation  while  engaged  in  cultivating  the  transient  inmates 
of  a  garden  ;  and  from  a  conviction  that  the  flowers  of 
poesy  are  not  only  conducive  to  intellectual  pleasure,  but 
that  they  are  calculated  to  improve  the  mind,  and  to  relieve 
it  of  that  intense  thought  which  necessarily  attends  practical 
pursuits,  I  have  ventured  to  intrude  on  the  patience  of 
those  whose  sole  object  maybe  practical  knowledge.  I  can, 
however,  inform  such,  that  no  efforts  have  been  spared  to 
render  the  work  generally  instructive  as  well  as  amusing,  and 
would  invite  the  attention  of  my  readers  to  a  perusal  of  its 
contents,  before  they  commence  the  process  of  cultivation  > 
and  if  they  select  a  salubrious  soil,  and  provide  suitable  seeds 
and  implements,  I  doubt  not  that  they  will  experience  the 
highest  satisfaction  in  their  instructive,  pleasant,  and  health- 
ful employment. 

In  conclusion  I  would  observe,  that  in  order  to  keep  pace 
with  the  increasing  taste  for  flowers,  and  to  render  this 
work  a  desideratum  to  those  amateur  florists,  who  cultivate 
plants  merely  for  amusement,  I  have  in  this  edition  intro- 
duced several  important  improvements;  I  am  however  aware 
that  it  may  be  viewed  by  some  as  still  an  imperfect  worki 
and  having  no  wish  either  to  overrate  its  merits  or  conceal 
its  defects,  I  am  free  to  acknowledge,  that  in  aiming  to 
divest  the  subject  of  those  technicalities,  which  too  often 
discourage  new  beginners  in  this  pursuit,  the  style  may 
perhaps  in  some  instances  have  degenerated  into  a  censu- 
rable quaintness.  The  apology  I  offer  is,  that  having  spent 
a  greater  portion  of  my  time  in  the  wide  field  of  nature,  than 
in  the  study  of  the  dead,  or  even   living  languages,  I  have 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

been  more  familiar  with  that  which  appertains  to  practical 
gardening,  than  with  the  contents  of  literary  folios  ;  and 
that  having  no  wish,  were  I  even  competent,  to  amuse  classi- 
cal readers  with  a  tedious  vocabulary  of  Greek,  Latin,  and 
Botanical  terms,  I  have  confined  my  attention  to  the 
teaching  of  plain  people  the  first  rudiments  of  Floriculture, 
in  a  concise  and  explicit  manner  ;  and  I  flatter  myself  that 
my  labour  has  not  been  in  vain. 

T.  BRIDGEMAN. 

New- York,  January,  1840. 


BS%©' 


REFLECTIONS. 


Whate'er  has  beauty,  worth,  or  power, 

Or  grace,  or  lustre,  is  a  flower  ; 

Wit  is  a  flower  ;   and  bards  prepare 

The  flowers  of  fancy  for  the  Fair  ; 

While  beauty's  flowery  fetters  bind 

In  sweet  captivity  the  mind. 

Deep  in  the  bosom  dwells  a  flower, 

Nor  time  shall  taint,  nor  death  devour  ; 

A  flower  that  no  rude  season  fears, 

And  virtue  is  the  fruit  it  bears  ; 

Which  join'd  to  patience,  peace,  and  love, 

Will  smooth  the  path  to  realms  above; 


10 
CALL  OF  THE  FLOWERS. 

"  Oh,  come  ye  to  our  blossoming — 

To  our  holy  festival — 
We  have  felt  the  dew  and  the  rain  of  Spring, 
And  we  are  ready  for  the  opening ; 

Come  men  and  maidens,  come  all. 

We  have  blossoms  of  every  hue  and  name, 

And  buds  for  opening  youth; 
Garlands  for  honour,  and  wreaths  for  fame, 
And  fadeless  flowers  for  the  purest  flame. 

Of  the  heart  s  enduring  truth. 

Flowers  for  the  mourner,  flowers  for  the  bride, 

Or  to  garnish  the  hall  of  death  ; 
And  to  strew  the  biers  of  them  who  died. 
In  youth,  in  age,"in  manhood's  pride, 

For  each  and  for  all  a  wreath. 

Maiden,  come  then  with  thy  sunny  glance, 

And  cull  a  wreath  for  thy  hair, 
;Twill  serve  thy  cheek's  bright  hue  to  enhance, 
As  thou  giidest  on  in  thy  merry  dance, 

And  the  last  thou  e'er  might'st  wear. 

And  come  thou  in  thy  young  love's  light, 

A  bridal  wreath  to  twine  ; 
Take  roses  and  myrtle,  the  fresh  and  the  bright, 
And  mingle  the  jasmine, — for  early  blight 

Is  gathering  on  all  that's  thine. 

Childhood,  come  thou  in  thy  merriest  hour, 

k.3lect  from  the  woodland  and  heath: 
Take  the  iris  and  daisy,  and  May  lily  flower, 
The  brightest,  the  fairest,  in  Nature's  wild  bower. 
And  as  pure  as  thine  own  its  breath. 

And  age,  come  thou  with  silvered  head, 

Upon  this  our  festal  day  ; 
Behold  us  again  in  the  white  and  red, 
The  same  bright   tint  we  merrily  spread, 

In  thy  childhood's  gladsome  way. 

We  call — but  alas,  we  call  in  vain  ; 

None  notice  this  solemn  truth  ; 
We  blossom,  we  blossom,  but  never  again, 
For  that  man,  in  his  three  score  years  and  ten. 

Or  that  bride,  or  that  maiden,  or  youth." 


11 


OBSERVATIONS 


ON  THE 


^3L®WISm  <&  ,&  IB  3D  IB  KT  o 


Previous  to  forming  a  flower  garden,  the  ground  should 
be  made  mellow  and  rich,  by  being  well  pulverized,  ma- 
nured, and  prepared  in  every  respect  as  if  intended  for  a 
kitchen  garden.  A  flower  garden  should  be  protected  from 
cold  cutting  winds  by  close  fences,  or  plantations  of  shrubs, 
forming  a  close  and  compact  hedge,  which  should  be  neatly 
trimmed  every  year.  Generally  speaking,  a  flower  gar- 
den should  not  be  on  a  large  scale,  the  beds  or  borders 
should  in  no  part  of  them  be  broader  than  the  cultivator 
can  reach,  without  treacling  on  them  :  the  shape  and  num- 
ber of  the  beds  must  be  determined  by  the  size  of  the 
ground,  and  the  taste  of  the  person  laying  out  the  garden. 

Much  of  the  beauty  of  a  pleasure  garden  depends  on  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  laid  out ;  a  great  variety  of  figures 
may  be  indulged  in  for  the  flower  beds.  Some  choose  oval 
or  circular  forms,  others  squares,  triangles,  hearts,  diamonds, 
&c,  intersected  with  winding  grass  paths  and  gravel  walks. 
In  the  design  of  an  ornamental  garden,  nature  however 
should  be  imitated  os  nearly  as  practicable,  not  only  in  the 
formation  and  regulation  of  the  flower  beds,  but  in  the  adap- 
tation ofeach  species  to  its  peculiar  element,  soil,  and  situa- 
tion, taking  into- consideration,  that  the  inmates  of  a  garden 
constituting  as  they  do  a  mingled  groupe,  collected  from  all 

D.  H.  HILL  LIBRARY 


12  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    SLOWER   GARDEN. 

the  different  climates  and  soils  oi  the  vegetable  creation 
require  each  their  most  essential  aliment,  to  promote  a 
luxuriant  growth. 

Neatness  should  be  the  prevailing  characteristic  of  a 
flower  garden,  which  should  be  so  situated  as  to  form  an 
ornamental  appendage  to  the  house  ;  and,  where  circum- 
stances will  admit,  placed  before  windows  exposed  to  a 
southern  or  south-eastern  aspect.  The  principle  on  which 
it  is  laid  out,  ought  to  be  that  of  exhibiting  a  variety  of 
colour  and  form,  so  blended  as  to  produce  one  beautiful 
whole.  In  a  small  flower  garden,  viewed  from  the  windows 
of  a  house,  this  effect  is  best  produced  by  beds,  or  borders, 
formed  on  the  side  of  each  other,  and  parallel  to  the  win- 
dows from  whence  they  are  seen,  as  by  that  position  the 
colours  show  themselves  to  the  best  advantage.  In  a  retired 
part  of  the  garden,  a  rustic  seat  may  be  formed,  over  and 
around  which  grape  vines,  or  honeysuckles,  and  other 
sweet  and  ornamental  creepers  and  climbers,  may  be  trained 
on  trellises,  so  as  to  afford  a  pleasant  rural  retreat. 

In  extensive  pleasure  grounds  a  rockery,  formed  of  rough 
stone,  and  rich  light  soil,  may  be  erected  in  imitation  of  a 
mountain,  on  which  maybe  cultivated  various  plants  natives 
of  mountainous  districts,  and  such  indigenous  plants  as  are 
calculated  for  the  situation,  also  herbaceous  plants,  pro- 
cumbent and  trailing,  such  as  Mesembry  anthem  urns, 
Climbing  Cordydalis,  the  various  species  of  Silene,  or  Catch 
Fly,  Gypsophila,  Lotus,  Ricota  or  Syrian  Honesty,  Go- 
detia,  &c.  These  being  interspersed  with  dwarf  plants  of 
different  species,  as  Mountain  Lychnis,  Yiolets,  Daisies, 
&c,  and  so  arranged  as  to  cover  a  great  proportion  of  the 
rocky  surface,  must  necessarily  produce  a  very  pleasing 
effect. 

Although  the  greatest  display  is  produced  by  a  general 
flower  garden,  that  is,  by  cultivating  such  a  variety  of  sorts 
in  one  bed  or  border,  as  may  nearly  insure  a  constant 
blooming  ;  yet  bulbous  plants,  while  essential  to  the  per- 


OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    FLOWER    GARDEN.  13 

Fection  of  the  flower  garden,  lose  something  of  their  peculiar 
beauty  when  not  cultivated  by  themselves.  The  extensive 
variety  of  bulbous  roots  furnishes  means  for  the  formation 
of  a  garden,  the  beauty  of  which,  arising  from  an  intermix- 
ture of  every  variety  of  form  and  colour,  would  well  repay 
the  trouble  of  cultivation,  particularly  as  by  a  judicious 
selection  and  management,  a  succession  of  bloom  may  be 
kept  up  for  some  length  of  time.  As,  however,  bulbous 
flowers  lose  their  richest  tints  about  the  same  time  that 
Annuals  begin  to  display  their  beauty,  there  can  be  no 
well-founded  objection  to  the  latter  being  transplanted  into 
the  bulbous  beds,  so  that  the  opening  blossoms  of  the 
Annuals  may  fill  the  place  of  those  just  withered,  and  con- 
tinue to  supply  the  flower-beds  with  all  the  gaiety  and 
splendour  of  the  floral  kingdom. 

The  cultivation  of  Annual  Flowers  is  a  delightful  employ- 
ment, and  well  adapted  to  the  amusement  of  a  Lady,  who, 
with  the  assistance  of  a  labourer  to  prepare  the  ground,  may 
turn  a  barren  waste  into  a  beauteous  flower  garden  with  her 
own  hands.  Sowing  the  seeds,  transplanting,  watering  and 
training  the  plants,  tying  them  to  sticks  as  props,  leading 
them  over  trellis  work,  and  gathering  their  seed,  are  all 
suitable  for  feminine  occupation,  and  from  their  affording 
motives  for  exercise  in  the  open  air,  they  contribute  greatly 
to  health;  and  tranquillity  of  mind. 

But  the  taste  of  the  florist  will  be  exercised  to  little  pur- 
pose, in  the  selection  of  Flowers,  if  strict  attention  be  not 
paid  to  the  general  state  of  the  garden.  If  there  are  lawns 
or  grass  walks,  they  should  be  frequently  trimmed,  and 
more  frequently  mowed  and  rolled,  to  prevent  the  grass 
from  interfering  with  the  flower-beds,  and  to  give  the 
whole  a  neat,  regular,  carpet-like  appearance,  If  there  are 
gravel  walks,  they  should  be  frequently  cleaned,  replenished 
with  fresh  gravel,  and  rolled.  Box,  and  other  edgings, 
should  be  kept  clear  of  weeds,  and  neatly  trimmed  every 
Spring.     Decayed  plants  should  be  removed,  and  replaced 

2 


14  ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS. 

with  vigorous  ones  from  the  nursery  bed.  Tall  flowering 
plants  must  be  supported  by  neat  poles  or  rods  ;  and  all 
dead  stalks  and  leaves  from  decayed  flowers  must  be  fre- 
quently removed. 

In  the  summer  season,  all  kinds  of  insects  must  be  timely 
destroyed,  and  in  the  evenings  of  warm  days,  the  flowers 
will  require  frequent  watering. 

INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CATALOGUE  OF 

ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS. 


To  raise  your  flowers,  various  arts  combine  ; 
Study  these  well,  and  fancy's  flight  decline, 
if  you  would  have  a  vivid,  vigorous  breed, 
Of  every  kind,  examine  well  the  seed: 
Learn  to  what  Elements  your  plants  belong, 
What  is  their  constitution,  weak  or  strong  ; 
Be  their  physician,  careful  of  their  lives, 
And  see  that  every  species  daily  thrives ; 
These  love  much  Air,  these  on  much  Heat  rely; 
These  without  genial  Moisture,  droop  and  die. 
Supply  the  wants  of  each,  and  they  will  pay 
For  all  your  care  through  each  succeeding  day. 


With  a  view  to  render  this  work  more  generally  interest- 
ing, a  classification  and  definition  of  the  various  species  and 
varieties  embraced  in  the  annexed  Catalogue,  is  attempted. 
Precision,  however,  in  the  performance  of  this  task  is  im- 
practicable, as  it  must  be  conceded  that  the  vegetable  fa- 
mily, having  been  collected  from  all  the  varied  climates  and 
soils,  will  differ  as  to  height,  complexion,  time  of  blossoming, 
and  in  many  other  essential  points,  when  cultivated  out  of 
their  natural  Element. 

Some  seeds  germinate  in  two  or  three  days  after  being 
deposited  in  the  earth  ;  other  species  will  not  exhibit  signs 
of  vegetation  under  as  many  weeks.  These  and  other  dis- 
tinguishing features  arise,  in  a  great  measure,  from  their 
having  originated  in  diverse  soils  and  climates.     Natives 


ANNUAL    FLOWER   SEEDS.  15 

of  cool  or  temperate  climates  and  moist  soils,  are  generally 
tardy  in  germinating  when  cultivated  in  a  warm  climate  and 
dry  soil,  for  want  of  a  clue  share  of  their  most  essential 
aliment,  Moisture  ;  and  natives  of  warm  climates  and 
light  soils,  require  artificial  culture  in  cool  seasons,  and 
unpropitious  climates,  in  order  to  their  being  accommo- 
dated with  their  natural  and  most  important  aliment,  Heat. 
Air  is  also  a  more  necessary  aliment  to  some  species  than 
to  others,  but  these  three  elements  collectively,  constitute 
the  food  of  plants  in  general.  It  may  be  also  observed  that 
the  adaptation  of  plants  to  a  soil  congenial  for  them,  is  of 
the  utmost  importance  ;  as  plants  cannot  thrive  well,  when 
improper  food  is  absorbed  by  their  roots. 

Under  favorable  circumstances,  annual  flower  plants,  in 
general,  will  produce  their  flower  buds  within  two  months 
from  the  period  of  sowing  the  seed.  Some  species,  soon 
after  exhibiting  their  brilliant  blossoms,  disappear,  while 
others  embellish  the  borders  by  their  successional  bloom  for 
two  or  three  months.  An  assortment  of  seed  judiciously 
selected,  and  sown  in  due  season,  will  afford  amusement  to 
the  cultivator  the  greater  part  of  a  summer,  and  yield  seed 
for  the  propagation  of  the  species  in  succeeding  years,  if 
gathered   when  ripe,  and  carefully  preserved. 

Annual  plants  will  grow  from  one  to  four  feet  in  height, 
in  one  uniform  soil  and  situation,  but  as  these  are  diversified 
in  almost  every  garden,  no  correct  conclusion  can  be  drawn  ; 
an  attempt,  however,  has  been  made  in  the  annexed  cata- 
logue, to  describe  the  various  species  as  nearly  as  possible, 
which  may  serve  as  a  guide  to  the  gardener  in  planting ; 
the  most  dwarfish  being  adapted  to  the  front  or  outer  edge 
of  the  borders,  and  others  in  regular  gradation. 

Those  species  marked  thus,  §  are  tender.  Those  marked 
thus,  *  should  be  sown  in  the  spot  where  they  are  intended 
to  blossom,  as  they  are  apt  to  droop  and  die  by  being  trans- 
planted. A  few  are  marked  thus,  f.  These  though  culti- 
vated as  annuals,  from  their   facilities  in  blossoming  and 


16 


ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS. 


ripening  their  seed  the  first  season,  are  in  reality  peren- 
nial, as  are  also  some  other  varieties  from  warm  climates, 
usually  denominated  annuals ;  but  as  such  could  not  be 
cultivated  at  all  by  those  who  have  no  means  of  protecting 
their  plants  through  our  severe  winters,  they  may  with 
great  propriety  be  treated  as  tender  annuals,  by  sowing  the 
seed  every  Spring. 


A  CATALOGUE  OF 

ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS 
Graincs  de  Jleures  annuellcs. 


§   Denotes  tender.  +  Perennial.  *  Difficult  to  transplant.  HEIGHT 

IN  FEET 

^Ageratum,  Mexican,  blue.  Ageratum Mezicana  lto2 

Alkekengi,  or  Kite  Flower,  lilac.        Atropa  physaloides  3  to  4 

+Alyssum  Sweet,  white.  Alyssum  maritima  1 

§Amaranthus,  three-coloured.  Amaranthus  tricolor  2  to  3 

*Argeinone,  or  Prickly  Poppy;  yel-  Argemonc  Mezicana, grandiflor a, 

low,  cream  colour  and  white.  ochrolcnca,  etc.  2  to  A 

Astor,  Chinese  and  German,  white,  Aster,  Chinensis,var.  alba,rubra, 

red,  striped,  purple,  &c.  striata,  purpurea,  etc.  lio2 

§  Balsams;  three  species  and  nume-    Balsamina  hortensis,  Mastersiana, 

roud    varieties,  scarlet,  striped,         c or nuta,coccinea,  striata,  purpurea 

purple,  crimson,  white,  &c-  alba,  etc  1  to  2 

\)Bartonia,  the  Golden.  Bartonia  aurea.  2  to  3 

Bladder  Ketmia,  buff,  dark  centre.     Hibiscus  trionum  lto2 

Blue  Bottle  great,  Centaurea  cyanus,  major  3  to  4 

Blue  Bottle,  small.  Centaurea  cyanus,  minor  1  to  2 

Blumenbachia,  white.  Blumenbachia,insig)iis,  under         1 

§  Browallia,  or  Amethyst,  blue,\vhite.  Broicallia  elata,  alba,  etc  1  to  2 

§  Cacalia,  scarlet.  Cacalia  coccinea  \to2 

Calliopsis;  Drummond's  Coreopsis.  Calliopsis  Drummondii  2  to  3 

Calandrina  Annual,  crimson.  Calandrina  speciosa ,  etc.  lto2 

f  Calandrina,  rose  and  purple  tinged. Calandrina  discolor,  etc.  2  to3 

*  Candytuft,  white  and  purple.  lbcris  alba,  purpurea,  etc.  1 
*Catch  Fly,  purple  and  red.  Silenc purpurea ,  muscipula,etc.2to3 
*Catch  Fly,  dwarf  pink,  spotted,  &c.  Silcne  Armeria,  picta,  etc.        \to2 

*  Caterpillars,  Hedge   Hogs   and       Medicago  circinnatat  intertezta, 

Snails,  curious.  scutcllata,  etc  lto2 


ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS.  17 

§Denote>  Under,  t  Perennial.        Difficult  to  transplant.  HEIGHT 

IN  FEET 

Centaurea,  or  pink  sultan.                   Centaurea  Americana  2  to  3 

China  Pink,  of  every  shade.                Dianthus,Chinensis,annaus  \to2 

§Cleome,  rose  coloured,  white,  &c.  Cleome  rosea,  spinoca,  etc.  2  to  3 
Chrysanthemum,  white,  yellow           Chrysanthemum,  coronarium, 

and  three-coloured.                             alba,  lutea,  tricolor,  etc.  2  to  3 
Clarkia,  rose,  purple,  white,  &c.         Clarkia  elegans,  pulchella,  etc.   \to2 

§Clmtonia,  elegant  blue.                      Clintonia  elegans.  1  to2 

$  Cockscomb,  crimson  and  yellow,     Celocia  cristata,  lutea  2  to  3 

§Colliusia,  lilac,  white,  two-coloured  Collinsia  hetrophilla,  bicolor  2  to  3 

Commelina,  blue-flowering.                  Commelina    ccelestis  1 

*  Convolvulus,  dwarfvariegated  &e.  Convolvulus  minor,  tricolor  1  to  2 

Coreopsis,  Golden,  dark  centre.         Calliopsis  tinctoria,  3  to  4 

§Cotton  Plant,  cream.                         Gossypium  herbaceum  3to  4 

Crotalaria,  purple,  yellow  and  white  Crotalaria  verrucosa,  etc,  lto2 

Cuphea  Mexican,  scarlet, variegated  Cuphea  lanceolata,  etc.  \to2 

tDahlia,  Mexican,  various.                  Dahlia  superflua  3  to6 


Devil  in  the  Bush,  or  Love  in  a  Mist,  Nigella  damascena,  Hispanica, 

blue,  yellow,  purple,  white,  &c.  orientalis,  sativa,  etc.  I  to  2 

Dwarf  Love  in  a  Mist,  various  Nigella  nana  1 

tDew  Plant,  crimson.  Mesembryanthemum   glabrum  \to2 

tDidiscus,  azure  blue.  Didiscus  cceruleus.  2  to  3 

§Egg  Plant,  white,  for  ornament.      Solatium  melongena  1  to2 

tEschscholtzia  or  Chryseis,  yellow,  Eschscholtzia,  crocea,  cristata, 

red  and  orange.  Califo mica,  etc.  1 

Eternal  Flower,  yellow,  purple  Xeranthemum  lucidum,  var,  lutea, 

and  white,  bracteatum,  alba.  2  to  3 

Euphorbia,  variegated.  Euphorbia  variegata.  2  to  3 

*Evening  Primrose,  dwarf  annual,  Oenothera  linearis,  Drummondii, 

white,  yellow,  red,  &c.  tetraptera,  micrantha,  etc.    1  to  2 

"Evening  Primrose,  large  yellow.      Oenothera  grandijlora  2  to  3 

♦Evening  Primrose,   willow  leaved,  Oenothera  salcifolia  3<o4 

Feather    Grass.  Stipa  pinnata,  avenacea  1  to 2 

*Flos  Adonis,  or  Pheasant  Eye, red.  Adonis  minata  lto2 

IFrancoa,  pink  and  purple.  Francoa    appendiculata  I  to  2 

Garidella,  Nigella  like.  Garidella nigellastrum  \to2 

Gilia,  blue,  pink,  variegated,  &c.      Giliacapitata,  tricolor,  etc.  2 

§  Globe  Amaranthus,  crimson,white.  Gomphrena  globosa  \to2 

Grove  Love,  blue.  Nemophila  insignis  I 

tGodetia,  the  Twiggy,  purple.  Godetia  viminea  3  to  4 

Godetia  the  Ruddy,  annual.  Godetia  rubricunda  2  to  3 

Godetia  ;  dwarf,  purple  and  spotted.  Godetia  lepida,Lyndleyanaetc.  I  to  2 

2* 


18  ANNUAL  FLOWER  SEEDS. 

^Denotes  tender,  t  Perennial.  *  Difficult  to  transplant.  HEIGHT 

IN  FEET 

*Gypsophila,  pink  and  white.  Gypsophila  ehgans,  viscosa.      I  to  2 

Hawkweed,  yellow  and  red  Crepis  barbata,  rubra.  1  lo  2 

§  Hibiscus,  yellow,  with  redish  centre  Hibiscus  Africanus  2  to  3 

*Horned  Poppy,  yellow  and  scarlet.  Glauceum  lutcum,  phceniceum  2to3 
tHunnemania,  brilliant  yellow.  Hunnemania  famarix  folia       3  to  4 

Hypeconm,  three  species,  yellow.  Hypecoum,  procumbens,  etc.  lto2 
§  Ice  Plant,  white.  Mesembryanthcmum   chrystalinum  1 

tJacobea,  purple,  spotted,  &c.  Senecio  purpurea,  ehgans  etc.    lto2 

Job's  Tears,  gray.  Coix  lachryma,  Jobi  2  to  3 

Larkspur,  dwarf  Rocket,white,  blue,  Delphinium  ajacis,  alba, 

purple,  pink  and  other  colours.  coerulea,  purpurea,   etc.     \to1 

Larkspur,  branching,  similar  variety  Delphinium  consoHda,  etc.  2  to  3 
Lavatera,  red,  purple  and  white.  Lavatera,  trimestris,  alba,  etc.  4  to  6 
Love  lies  bleeding,  crimson.  Amaranthus  melancholicus        2  to  3 

Lunaria,  purple.  Lunaria  purpurea  ..  t       1  to  2 

*  Lupins,  dwarf  annual,yellow,  pur-  Lupinus  nanus,  densi- 

pie,  rose,  two  coloured,  &c.  florus,  bi-co!or,  etc.  1  to  2 

Malesherbia,  blue.  Malesherbia  coronata  2to3 

*Malope,  tall  scarlet  Malope  gran di flora  3  to  4 

*Malope,  dwarf  crimson,  rose.  Malope    trifida,  malacoides      I  to  2 

Marigold,  African,  yellow,  orange.    Tagetes  erccta  3  to  4 

Marigold,  French,  variegated.  Tagetes  pat ula  2  to  3 

Marigold,  sweet,     yellow  striped      Calendula  officinalis  1  to2 

§  Marigold,  Fig.  yellow  Mesembryanthcmum,  annuus  1 

Martynia,  or.  Cuckold's  Horn.  Marty nia  proboscidea  2  to  3 

i Marvel  of  Peru,  or  Four  O'Clocks,  Mirabilis  jalapa,  lutea,  rubra, 

white  yellow,  red,  striped,  scented        striata,  longiflora,etc.        2  to  3 
tMignonette,  sweet  scented.  Reseda  odorata  under  1 

iMonkey   Flower,   yellow,  scarlet,  Mimulus  moschatus,  cardinally, 

rose,  &.c.  variegated,  rivularius,roseus,etc.  \to2 

§Nierembergia,  several  varieties  of     Nierembcrgia  intermedia,  violacea, 

various  colours.  phamida,  etc.  2  to  3 

Nolana  in  varieties,  blue:  Nolana  paradoxia,prostrata,etc\  to  2 

♦Oats,  animated.  Avena  sensitiva  2to3 

tPansey  or  Heart's   Ease,  purple,  Viola,  iri-color,  grandiflora, 

blue,  yellow,  and  numerous  shades,        atro  purpurea,  cozrulea, 

variegated.  lutea,  etc.  under  1 

Pentaptes,  scarlet.  Pentaptes  ph&nicia  2 

Phlox,  Annual,  rosy  red.  &c.  Phlox  Drummondii,  fyc.  \to2 

Pimpernel,  blue  and  scarlet.  Anagallis  indica,  arvensis  1 

*Poppy,  large  white  and  scarlet.         Papaver  somnifcrum,  coccinea  3to4 


ANNUAL  FLOWER  SEEDS.  19 

§     Denotes    tender,    t    Terennial,     *     Difficult  to  transplant  HEIGHT 

IN  FEET 

*Poppy  dwarf,  scarlet,  white,  yel-     Pa-paver  rhaas,  nudicale  Persi- 

low,  striped,  Persian  red,  &c.  cum, rubra,  striata,  etc.  1  to  2 

Prince's  Feather,  crimson.  Amaranthus  hypocondriacus    2  to  3 

Rocket  Candytuft,  white.  pjeris  coronaria  1  to  2 

Rose  Campion,  animal,  dwarf  red,     Agrostemma,  cadi  rosea,  githago, 

purple. white,  striped,  &c.  laela,c(c.  1 

Salpiglossis,   variegated,  purple, &c-  Salpiglosds,  atropupurea       2  to  3 
Saphonaria  or  Silene,  rose  Saphonaria  vaccaria  2  io3 

tSchizanthus  in  variety,  orange,        Schizanthus  relusus,  pinnatus, 

wing-leaved,  &c.  obtusifolia,  etc. 

Scabious, or  Mourning  Bride  purple   Scabiosa  atro  purpurea 
§  Sensitive  Plant,  red  Mimosa  sensitiv a 

Shortia,  yellow.  Shortia  Calif  arnica 

Stock  Gilly,  Virginian,  lilac.  Malccmiamaritima 

Strawberry  Spinach,  red  fruit.  Blitum  capitatum 

Strephtanthus,  rose  coloured.  Slrephtanlhus  obtusifolius 

Sunflower,  yellow.  Helianth  us  annuus 

Sunflower  dwarf,  yellow.  Helianthus  minor,  nanus 

Sun  Rose,  spotted.  Helianlhemum guttatum 

*Sweet  Balm,  blue.  Melissa  odoratum 

*Sweet  Basil,  blush,  lilac,  Ocymum  basiliacum 

Sweet  Sultan,  white,  yellow,  purple  Centaurea  moschata,  etc. 
*Ten  Week  Stock,  scarlet,  purple,     Mathiola  annua  varieties 

white,  &c«  grmca,  tenclla  etc, 

§  Tobacco  in  varieties,  scarlet,  yellow  Nicotiana,  tabacum  rustica 
Touch  me  not,  yellow.  Noli  mi  tangerc 

Trefoil,  crimson  and  scented.  Trifolium  incarnatum,  etc. 

*  Venus'  Looking  Glass,   lilac.  Campanula  speculum 

Vesicaria  in  varieties,  yellow.  Vesicaria  grandiflora,  etc 

t Verbena  in   varieties,  scarlet,  rose,    Verbena  aubletia,bonariensis, 

blue,  lilac,  pink,  &c.  Drummondii,  pulchella,etc.     I  to  2 

Zinnia,  scarlet,  yellow,  violet  Zinnia  coccinea,  latea,  grandiflora 

coloured,  red,  &c.  rubra,  etc.  2  to  3 

The  following  are  climbing  and  trailing  plants,  which 
should  be  planted  in  situations,  where  they  can  be  sup- 
ported by  poles,  twine,  or  trellises. 

The  tallest  growing  vines  and  creepers  are  best  adapted 
to  the  covering  of  arbours,  to  create  shade,  or  conceal  any 
unsightly  object ;  the  procumbent  trailing  and  low  climbing 
plants,   such   as    the   Nasturtium,   Loasa,    Petunia,  Sweet 


I  to  2 

2  to  3 

under   1 

I  to  2 

1 

I  to  2 

2to3 

6  to  8 

2  to  3 

I  to  2 

I  to  2 

1  to2 

I  to  2 

I  to  2 

■a     3  to  4 

1 

c     3  to  4 

I  to  2 

2  to  3 

20  ANNUAL     FLOWER   SEEDS. 

Pea,  &c.  may  be  trained  on  trellis  work  of  an  ornamental 
form,  as  that  of  a  fan,  balloon,  or  pyramid,  which  should 
be  on  a  scale  corresponding  to  the  situation  and  extent  of 
the  garden. 

Balloon  Vine,  or  Love  in  a  Puff  Cardicspermum  halicacabumoverlO 
§Balsam,  Apple  and  Pear  Momorclica   balsamina         over  10 

Bean  Hyacinth,  white  and  purple  Dolichos  alba,  purpurea  over  10 
§  Bean,  scarlet  flowering  Phaseolus  multijlorus  over  10 

Bean,  Castor  Oil  or  Pahna  christi.      Riclnus  Communis  5  to  6 

§  Cypress  Vine,  scarlet  and  white       Ipomcea  coccinea,  alba,  over  10 

Gourd,  Mock  Orange,  in  varieties  Cucurbita  bicolor,  aurantia  over  10 
Gourd  the  Bottle,  in  varieties.  Cucurbita  lagenaria,  elavata        10 

§Loasa  or  Chilian  Nettle,  orange      Loaea  lateritia,  aurantiaca  etc  3  to  6 
§  Morning  Glory,  scarlet  striped, &c.   Ipomcca  coccinea,  striata,  etc  over  10 
Morning  Glory,  of  the  Convolvulus   Convolvulus    major,    purpurea, 
tribe,     purple,  striped,   yellow,     ccerulca,  striata,  lutea,  incarnata, 
pink,  white,  &c,  alba  etc  over  10 

Nasturtium,  orange  and  crimson       Tropceolum  atrosanguineum 

variegated.  nana  etc  4  to  6 

§Thunbergia, wing-leaved,  purple       Thunbergia  alata  4  to  6 

tPetunia,  purple,  white  rose  8fc.        Petunia   nyctaginiflora,  etc.  2  to  3 

Sweet  Peas,  various  complexions,       Lathyrus  odoratus,  var.  alba,  pur- 

white, purple,  red,  rose,  striped  &c.    purea,  rosea,  striata,  etc,        3  to  4 

As  many  city  gardens  are  so  limited  as  not  to  admit  of 
an  extensive  assortment  of  flowers,  a  select  list  may  be 
made  from  the  above  catalogue  to  suit  the  taste  of  such  as 
may  be  so  situated  ;  and  amateurs,  who  cultivate  on  a  larger 
scale,  can  obtain  such  additional  sorts  as  may  be  desired  at 
the  different  seed  stores,  under  their  various  names. 

Previous  to  providing  annual  flower  seeds,  the  cultivator 
should  lay  out  a  plan  of  his  garden,  and  in  making 
allotments  of  ground  for  any  particular  purpose,  provision 
should  be  made  for  a  select  assortment  of  such  bulbous, 
tuberous,  and  perennial  plants,  as  may  be  deemed  most 
worthy  of  attention,  not  forgetting  to  leave  room  for  some 
of  the  choicest  varieties  of  the  Dahlia,  the  qualities  of  which 
will  be  described  hereafter. 


ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS.  21 

Another  consideration  is,  to  have  suitable  implements 
ready,  so  that  the  work  may  be  performed  in  a  skilful 
manner,  and  at  the  proper  season.  A  spade,  rake,  hoe> 
trowel,  drilling  machine,  and  pruning  knife,  maybe  deemed 
essentials  ;  and  in  order  to  have  the  beds  laid  out,  vyith  the 
edges  straight  and  even,  a  garden  line  should  be  in  rea- 
diness. If  labels  should  be  required,  they  may  be  made  of 
shingles,  which  being  split  into  strips  of  about  an  inch  wide, 
and  sharpened  at  one  end,  will  serve  for  marking  distinct 
kinds,  either  in  pots,  or  on  the  borders.  In  order  to  have 
the  names  or  numbers  written  in  legible  characters,  the 
labels  should  be  painted  on  the  smooth  side  with  white  lead, 
and  then  marked  with  black  lead  pencil  before  the  paint 
gets  dry  ;  inscriptions  made  in  this  way,  will  be  as  durable 
as  the  label  itself. 

The  next,  and  perhaps  the  most  important  consideration) 
is,  to  have  the  ground  in  good  condition  to  receive  the  seed. 
In  order  to  obtain  this  desirable  object,  let  some  good  rich 
compost,  or  very  old  manure,  be  provided  and  well  mixed 
with  the  soil  ;  dig  it  a  full  spit  deep,  pulverizing  every 
particle.  It  would  be  an  advantage  if  the  ground  could  be 
dug  to  a  great  depth  at  the  clearing  up  of  Winter,  and  then 
again  at  the  period  of  sowing  seed  in  the  Spring  : 

"I  come,  I  come — ye  have  called  me  long  — 
I  come  o'er  the  mountains  with  light  and  song  ! 
Ye  may  trace  my  steps  o'er  the  wakening  earth, 
By  the  winds  which  tell  of  the  Violet's  Birth, 
By  the  Primrose-stars  in  the  shadowy  grass, 
By  the  green  leaves  opening  as  I  pass." 

A  mellow  loam,  which  is  a  medium  earth  between  the 
extremes  of  clay  and  sand,  enriched  with  pulverized  manure 
or  compost,  is  adapted  to  the  generality  of  flowering 
plants  ;  ground  however  of  a  boggy  nature,  composed  ot 
black  earth,  decayed  leaves,  &c,  and  in  a  low  situation, 
is  essential  to  the  luxuriant  growth  of  amphibious  plants, 
as  Water  Lilies,  Iris,  Lobelia,  and  the  like,  but  as  the 
cultivator  has  not  always  a  choice,  he   may  select   such 


22  ANNUAL  FLOWER  SEEDS. 

plants  only,  as  are  most  congenial  to  bis  peculiar  soil  and 
situation. 

Previous  to  digging  flower  beds  or  borders,  care  must  be 
taken  that  they  be  so  arranged  as  to  lay  rather  highest  in 
the  middle ;  this  is  essential  to  the  draining  off  a  redun- 
dancy of  water,  as  well  as  to  the  exhibition  of  plants  to  the 
greatest  possible  advantage. 

All  kinds  of  annual  flower  seeds  may  be  sown  in  the 
month  of  April  and  May,  on  borders  or  beds  of  pulverized 
earth  ;  the  beds  should  be  levelled,  and  the  seeds  sown 
either  in  small  patches,  each  kind  by  itself,  or  in  drills  from 
an  eighth  to  half  an  inch  deep,  according  to  the  size  or 
nature  of  the  seed.  Lupins,  Peas,  &c,  should  be  planted 
about  half  an  inch  deep.  Those  who  would  have  their  plants 
to  flower  early,  should  sow  the  hardy  kinds  the  last  week  in 
March,  or  early  in  April.  Those  varieties  marked  thus  j" 
and  thus  §  may  be  sown  in  boxes,  or  pots  of  light  earth,  at 
the  same  time.  These,  if  exposed  to  the  sun  every  day,  and 
sheltered  in  cold  nights,  will  be  forwarded  in  growth  and  be 
fit  to  transplant  early  in  June,  Those  marked  #,  may  be 
also  sown  in  small  pots,  and  as  these  plants  do  not  bear 
transplanting,  they  should  be  turned  out  of  the  pots  with  the 
balls  of  eartli  entire,  and  placed  in  the  ground  where  they 
are  intended  to  flower ;  or,  if  the  seed  be  sown  in  a  bed  with 
other  kinds,  they  should  be  carefully  transplanted  with  a 
trowel,  without  disturbing  their  roots. 

The  most  eligible  way  to  obtain  early  flowers  is  to  prepare 
a  slight  hot- bed  for  the  tender  kinds,  (see  calendar  for  Janu- 
ary) and  either  to  plunge  the  pots  therein  up  to  their  brims, 
or  to  sow  the  seed  in  the  earth  in  shallow  drills,  not  more 
than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep.  It  may  be  necessary  to  state 
that  although  in  favourable  seasons,  flower  seed  in  general 
will  come  up  in  from  one  to  three  weeks  after  it  is  sown, 
the  seed  of  Cypress  vine  will  not  grow  until  settled  warm 
weather,  unless  in  a  hot  bed  ;  it  should  then  be  partially 
scalded  in  water,  previous  to  sowing  it. 


ANNUAL  FLOWER  SEEDS.  23 

If  some  of  the  hardy  annuals  be  sown  in  September,  they 
will  grow  large  enough  to  survive  the  Winter,  by  a  slight 
covering  of  straw  or  litter  ;  and  if  plants  thus  raised  be 
transplanted  early  in  the  Spring,  they  will  produce  very 
early  flowers.  The  following  are  some  of  the  hardiest : 
Alyssum,  sweet  Evening  Primrose 

Coreopsis,  in  varieties  Larkspur,  in  varieties 

China  aster,  in  varieties  Pansey,  or  Heart's  ease 

Catch  fly  Poppy,  in  varieties 

Chrysanthemum,  in  varieties  Rocket  Larkspur. 

To  prevent  disappointment,  I  would  recommend  that  great 
care  be  taken  to  keep  the  seed  beds  as  clear  from  weeds 
as  possible.  It  cannot  be  denied  but  young  plants  are  apt 
to  get  smothered,  and  sometimes  pulled  up  with  weeds. 
To  obviate  this,  I  would  suggest  that  the  seeds  be  sown  in 
shallow  drills,  each  kind  by  itself,  and  that  an  account  be 
kept  of  the  contents  of  each  drill  in  a  book  ;  also  of  all  seeds 
that  are  sown  at  different  times,  and  by  being  particular  in 
the  dates,  you  may  always  know  when  to  expect  your  plants 
to  come  up.  Those  persons  who  may  be  totally  unac- 
quainted with  plants,  will,  by  this  means,  be  enabled  to 
identify  each  particular  kind,  and  thus  become  familiarly 
acquainted  with  them.*    In  order  that  this  may  be  rendered 

*  Lest  the  reader  should  contend  that  the  author  is  herehy  shifting 
his  own  duty  and  responsibility  on  the  cultivator,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
observe  that  a  definition  of  all  the  peculiar  qualities,  forms,  attitudes 
and  habits  of  growth,  of  the  numerous  species  and  varieties  of  plants, 
embraced  in  an  extensive  catalogue,  with  minute  directions  for  the 
most  appropriate  culture  of  each,  would  alone  occupy  more  space 
than  is  allotted  for  this  treatise,  and  that  to  expatiate  on  all  the  various 
features  of  the  floral  kingdom,  is  a  task  which  no  author  has  ever 
attempted;  nor  can  any  library  be  found,  containing  such  a  desideratum. 

The  cultivator  of  a  small  garden  may,  however,  by  means  of  a  memo- 
randum book,  describe  the  peculiarities  of  such  plants  as  come  under 
his  special  care,  as  upright,  procumbent,  trailing,  climbing,  bushy, 
slender  stalked,  herbaceous,  shrubby,  &c,  and  thus  learn  how  to 
cultivate  and  arrange  the  same,  or  similar  plants,  advantageously  in 
succeeding  years;  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  a  few  flowers  selected, 
so  as  to  harmonize  in  their  colours  and  habits  of  growth,  cultivated 
with  precision,  as  respects  soil  and  situation  congenial  to  them,  and 
trained  and  pruned  into  regular  and  compact  shapes,  will  yield  more 
pleasure  and  amusement,than  three  times  the  number  taken  promiscuous- 
ly and  cultivated  under  one  uniform  treatment,  as  is  the  general,  though 
not  most  judicious  practice. 


24  ANNUAL    FLOWER    SEEDS. 

plain  to  my  readers,  I  adopt  the  following  plan  of  entry  of 
six  kinds  sown  in  pots,  and  six  in  the  open  ground: 

April  20,  sowed  flower  seeds  in  pots. 

Pot  marked  A,  or  1,  Amaranthus  tricolor. 

B,  or  2,  Balsamines. 

C,  or  3,  Cockscomb. 

D,  or  4,  Egg  plant. 

E,  or  5,  Ice  plant. 

F,  or  6,  Mignonette. 

These  pots  may  be  either  marked  with  letters,  or  figures 
on  the  outside,  to  answer  with  the  book,  or  notches  maybe 
cut  in  wood,  or  other  labels  affixed  to  the  pots,  and  entered 
accordingly. 

April  30,  sowed  flower  seeds  in  drills,  as  under 
No;  1,  Bladder  Ketmia. 

2,  Coreopsis  Tinctoria. 

3,  Yellow  eternal  flower. 

4,  Globe  amaranthus. 

5,  Princes'  feather. 

6,  Larkspur,  branching. 

If  these  numbers  be  continued  to  100,  or  even  1000,  there 
can  be  no  mistake,  provided  the  rows  are  all  marked  accord- 
ing to  the  entry  in  the  book  ;  or  if  No.  1  be  noted,  plain 
sticks  will  answer  afterwards,  if  one  be  stuck  at  each  end 
of  every  row.  In  this  case  it  would  be  well  to  leave  a  space 
every  ten  or  twenty  rows,  and  to  note  the  number  of  the 
rows  ;  by  this  means,  they  can  be  more  easily  traced. 

Some  species  of  dwarf  Annuals,  such  as  the  sweet 
Alyssum,  Candytuft,  Clarkia  Pulchella,  Mignonette,  Pim- 
pernel], and  such  others  as. grow  not  over  a  foot  in  height, 
may  be  cultivated  in  small  beds,  either  separate  or  two  or 
three  kinds  mixed  together.  Clarkia  pulchella  suits  very 
well  with  Mignonette,  as  it  will  thrive  in  moderately  poor 
soil,  which  is  the  best  adapted  for  that  plant  when  fragrance 
is  an  object.  The  reason  that  some  Mignonette  has 
scarcely  any  scent,  is,  because  the  soil  in  which  it  is  culti- 


ANNUAL  FLOWER  SEEDS.  23 

vated  is  too  rich  ;  and  this  leads  me  to  remark  further,  that 
what  some  call  Tree  Mignonette,  and  admire  on  account  of 
its  fragrance,  is  the  same  variety  as  the  ordinary  kind, 
cultivated  as  a  perennial  plant.  It  may  be  propagated  by 
cuttings,  and  trained  so  as  to  form  a  tree  ;  which  being 
transplanted  into  poor  ground,  will  yield  more  fragrance 
than  when  grown  as  an  annual  in  a  rich  compost  or  soil. 

The  best  way  to  manage  the  mixed  species,  is  to  level 
down  a  narrow  border  of  rather  poor  soil,  and  sow  it  all 
over  with  Mignonette,  then  with  Clarkia  pulchella  ;  when 
the  plants  are  up,  both  kinds  should  be  thinned  out  equally, 
so  as  to  leave  the  plants  from  one  to  two  inches  apart  all 
over  the  bed  ;  these  when  they  come  into  blossom  will  form 
a  rich  mass,  and  have  a  very  pretty  effect,  the  bushiness  of 
the  Mignonette  hiding  the  naked  stalks  of  the  Clarkia. 
The  White  Alyssum  and  Purple  Candytuft,  form  a  pleasing 
contrast  when  mixed  in  equal  proportions,  and  also  the 
Dwarf  Gilia   and    blue   Pimpernell. 

The  new  species  of  Dwarf  annual  Ph'ox,  Phlox  Drum- 
mondii,  are  described  in  a  London  Magazine  as  a  splendid 
sight  when  cultivated  in  abed.  "Every  flower,  though  of 
the  deepest  carmine,  has  its  petals  of  a  pale  blush  colour  on 
the  under  side,  and  every  petal  though  of  the  palest  pink, 
has  a  dark  carmine  spot  at  its  base.  Thus  the  variety  of 
colours  displayed  in  a  bed  of  these  flowers,  almost  exceeds 
description,  and  when  they  are  seen  under  a  bright  sun, 
and  agitated  by  a  gentle  breeze,  the  effect  is  extraordinarily 
brilliant." 

When  seeds  are  intended  to  be  sown  in  patches,  which 
is  often  done  for  want  of  an  unoccupied  border,  the  best 
way  to  perform  this  business  is,  after  having  pulverized 
the  soil,  to  impress  circular  drills  in  the  surface  with  the 
rim  of  a  flower  pot,  which  may  be  large  or  small,  according 
to  fancy.  By  sowing  seeds  in  such  circular  drills,  the  plants 
can  be  more  easily  traced  than  when  scattered  promiscuously 
over  the  ground,  and  the  weeds  can  be  destroyed  with  less 

D.  H.  HILL  LIBRARY 


26  BIENNIAL    AND    PERENNIAL   FLOWERS. 

risk  and  trouble.  Such  kinds  as  are  marked  in  the  cata- 
logue* may  remain  as  sown,  or  if  parted,  they  should  be 
removed  with  a  scoop  trowel  in  a  careful  manner,  in  small 
tufts,  and.  this  business,  as  well  as  transplanting  in  general, 
should  be  always  done  immediately  preceding,  or  after  rain, 
and  in  cloudy  weather. 

Herbaceous  plants  in  general  will  not  flower  well,  if  grown 
in  clusters;  they  should,  therefore,  be  thinned  or  trans- 
planted into  the  regular  beds,  at  all  favourable  opportuni- 
ties, after  they  get  about  an  inch  in  length  ;  and  as  there  is 
always  a  risk  of  some  plants  not  taking  root,  it  is  safest  to 
plant  a  few  of  each  sort  every  time,  taking  care  to  diversify 
the  colours,  and  also  to  leave  a  few  plants  in  the  seed  beds, 
for  the  purpose  of  substituting  in  the  room  of  such  plants 
whose  period  of  flowering  may  be  over ;  as  is  the  case  gene- 
rally with  early  Perennial  plants  and  bulbs,  at  about  the 
season  that  the  last  of  the  Annuals  are  fit  to  remove. 

The  transplanting  may  be  done  with  a  small  trowel,  or  a 
neat  dibble  made  for  the  purpose. 


PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS 

TO    THE    CATALOGUE    OF 

BIENNIAL  $  PERENNIAL  FLOWER  SEEDS. 


The  remarks  preceding  our  Catalogue  of  Annuals,  will 
with  few  exceptions,  apply  to  that  of  Biennials  and  Peren- 
nials ;  and  it  may  be  observed  further,  that  the  circulation  of 
the  sap  in  roots  and  stalks  of  plants,  is  influenced  by  like 
causes,  and  subject  to  the  same  vicissitudes  as  the  germin- 
ation of  seed,  which  principle  is  exemplified  by  some  plants 
of  various  species  putting  forth  their  leaves  and  flowers  at  a 
later  period  than  others  in  the  same  location,  as  if  waiting 
for  nature  to  replenish  the  earth  with  food  adapted  to  their 
respective  requirements  ;   which   by  the  gradual  change* 


BIENNIAL    AND    PERENNIAL    FLOWERS.  27 

from  cool  to  temperate,  and  from  that  to  warm  weather, 
is  effected  to  that  .degree  as  to  enable  all  the  various  species 
of  plants,  collected  from  every  climate  and  soil  under  the 
Sun,  to  reward  the  industrious  cultivator,  by  a  gradual  exhi- 
bition of  their  fascinating  blossoms,  and  a  distribution  of  their 
odoriferous  sweets,  throughout  the  three  propitious  seasons 
of  the  year,  i.e.  Spring,  Summer  and  Autumn. 

In  designating  Biennials  from  the  Perennials,  I  have  only 
marked  such  as  are  apt  to  die  after  once  blossoming,  and 
which  can  only  be  renewed  from  seed.  Some  of  those  spe- 
cies, frequently  classed  with  Biennials,  as  Aquilegia  or 
Columbines,  Dianthus,  &c.  are  in  reality  Perennial,  and 
may  be  easily  perpetuated  from  year  to  year,  by  suckers, 
layers,  or  any  of  the  ordinary  methods  of  propagation  ;  and 
here  I  would  observe,  that  frequent  renewal  of  the  roots  of 
Perennials,  is  absolutely  necessary  to  their  prosperity  or  very 
existence  ;  and  also  that  many  species,  are  by  nature  best 
adapted  for  propagation  at  the  footstalks,  from  their  yielding 
little  or  no  seed  at  the  top  of  the  plant.  This  is  particularly 
the  case  with  choice  double-flowering  plants,  the  roots  of 
which,  in  many  cases,  constitute  the  seed ;  these  conse- 
quently must  be  perpetuated  by  root  offsets,  cuttings,  &c. 

The  annexed  Catalogue  embraces  a  great  proportion  of 
the  most  desirable  of  what  are  termed  fibrous-rooted  herba- 
ceous plants  ;  the  seed  or  roots  of  which  may  be  obtained  at 
Seed  Stores  and  Nurseries,  The  estimated  height  applies 
to  plants  of  a  year's  growth  ;  some  will  arrive  to  more  than 
three  times  that  height  when  cultivated  in  a  greenhouse,  and 
even  in  open  ground  culture  the  same  plants  will  vary  con- 
siderably, according  to  the  soil  or  situation  in  which  they 
are  grown  ;  the  specified  height  however,  although  una- 
voidably imperfect,  may  serve  as  a  guide  to  the  gardener  in 
arranging  his  flower  beds.  Those  marked  thus,-)-  being  ten- 
der, and  half  hardy  will  need  protection  in  the  Winter :  those 
marked  thus,  ||  are  Biennial  :  those  marked  thus,  *  yield 
little  or  no  seed.    There  are  also  many  other  species  of  which 


28 


BIENNIAL    AND    PERENNIAL    FLOWERS. 


the  seed  is  unattainable,  from  its  being  suffered  to  scatter  by 
the  wind,  and  in  some  eases,  from  the  climate  being  unfavour- 
able to  its  ripening  ;  these,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter,  may 
be  perpetuated  by  other  methods. 


A  CATALOGUE    OF 


BIENNIAL   AND   PERENNIAL   FLOWER   SEEDS. 


Graines.  de  fleurs  bisannuelles  et  vivaces. 

T  Denotes  tender,       ||   Biennial.      *  Seed  unattainable. 


Adonis,  Spring-flowering,  yellow 

Alpine  Columbine,  purple 

Alyssum,  yellow 

Asclepias,  orange,  purple,  &c. 

Asiatic  Globe  flower,  yellow 

f  Auricula,  variegated 

tBalm  of  Gilead,  fragrant 

Bee  Larkspur,  blue  and  brown 

Bergamot,  crimson,  blue 

*t Canary  Aster,  purple 

tCalceolaria,  various  colours 


Adonis  vernalis 
Aquilcgia  alpina 
Alyssum  saxatile 
Asclepias  incarnate,  etc. 
Trollius  Asiaticus 
Primula  auricula 
Dracocephalum  canariense 
Delphinium  datum 
Monarda  Kalmiana,  didyma 
Cineraria  amelloides 
Calceolaria  variabilis 


Campanula  Peren.,  blue,  white,  SccCampanula '  per  sica folia,  etc. 


H Canterbury  Bells,  blue,  white 
tCaper  tro,  green 
Cardinal  flower,  scarlet 
Cassia  Maryland,  yellow 

tCamaticm  Pink,  various  colours 


Campanula  medium 
Euphorbia  lathyrus 
Lobelia  cardiualis 
Cassia  Marylandica 
D  i  a  n  tit  us  caryophyllus 


tCelcia,  red  &  yellow,  variegated  Celcia  orientalis 


Chinese  Imperial  Pink,  various 
tChinese  Primrose,  lilac,  white 
Clove  Imperial  Pink,  crimson 
tColutea,  scarlet 
^Coreopsis,  Perennial,  in  varieties 

yellow 
*tCoronilla,  yellow 

*Coionet,  or  double  Lychnis,  scarlet  Lychnis  coronata 
U Clary,  purple  topped  Salvia  sclara 


under 


HEIGHT 
IN  FEET 

2  tod 
l*o2 

1 
2*o  3 

3  to  4 
under  I 

1 
4ta  6 
2  to  3 

1 
2  to  3 

2  to  3 
2*0  3 
2*o  3 

3  to  A 
3  to  4 
1  *o2 
l*o  2 
1  *0  2 

1 
1  *o2 
2*o  3 


Dianthus  Chinensis 
Primula  Chinensis 
Dianthus  hortensis 
Sutherland  iafrutcscens 
Calliopsis grandiflora,  lanceola- 

tum,  auriculata,  etc.  2  to  3 

Coronilla  glauca  2  to  3 

2*o  3 

l*o  2 


Columbine,  various  colours 
*tDaisy  Garden,  various  colours 
Dragon's  head,  bluish  pink 


Aquilegia  vidgaris  1  to  2 

Bcllis  ,perennis  hortensis, under         1 
Dracocephalum  Virginianum    3  to  A 


BIENNIAL  AND    PERENNIAL    FLOWERS. 


29 


t   Denotes  tender.       |]   Biennial.       *  Seed  unattainable.  HEIGHT 

IN  FEET 

Dragon's  head,  purple  and  striped   Dracocephalum  argumense,  etc.  1  to  2 

2  to  3 
3to4 

2  to  3 

3  to  4 

1  to  2 
1 

2  to  3 
2  to  3 
2  to  3 

I 


European  Globe  Flower,  yellow 
||  Evening  Primrose,  yellow 
Eupatorium,  blue,  Avhite 
OFoxglove,  purple,  white 
Fraxinella,  red,  white 
Gentian,  purple,  yellow,  white 
Gentian,  porcelain  flowered 
{Geranium,  various  colours 
Globe  Thistle,  purple 
tHepatica,  blue,  pink 
Hibiscus,  pink,  white,  purple 
Hollyhock  Antwerp,    China  and 

English,  of  various  colours 
||Honesty,  or  Satin  flower,  blush 
{Indian  Shot,  yellow,  scarlet 
Ivy-leaved  Toad  Flax,  pink 
Jacob's  Ladder,  blue 
{Jerusalem  Cherry,  red  fruit 
Larkspur,  Perennial,  purple,  pink. 

white,  &c. 
*Liatris,  long  spiked,  purple 
*Lily  of  the  Valley,  white 
{Lupin,    Perennial, 

changeable,  &c. 
Lychnidea,  or  American  Phlox, 

lilac,  purple,  red,  white,  &c. 
''Lychnidea,  early,  pink,  &c. 
*Lychnis  Mountain,  variegated 
Lychnis  Scarlet 
London  Pride,  variegated 


Trollius  Europceus 
(Enothera  biennis 
Eupatorium  ceridea,  etc. 
Digitalis  purpurea,  alba 
Dictamnus  rubra,  alba 
Gentiana  purpurea,  lutea,  etc 
Gentiana  adscendens 
Pelargonium  zonale 
Echinops  sphceroccphalus 
Anemone  hepatica  under 

Hibiscus  palustris,  speciosus,etc  3  to  4 
Althea  flora  Chinensis, 

Anglica,  etc.  4  to  5 

Lunaria  biennis  2  to  3 

Canna  Indica,  lutea,  coccinea  2 

Lunaria  cymbalaria  1  to  2 

Polemonium  cerideum  1  to  2 

Solarium  pseudo,  capsicum        2  to  3 
Delphinium  grandiflorum, 

perennis 
Liatris  spicata,  elcgans,  etc. 


2to  3 
3to4 

1 


Convalleria  majalis 
blue,    white,  Lupinus  perennis,  mutabilist 

variabilis,  etc.  2  to  3 

Phlox   paniculata    accuminata 

pyrarnidalis  odorata,  etc.  3  to  4 
Phlox  subulata^stoloivfera^tc.  1  to  2 
Lychnis  Alpina  1  to  2 

Lychnis  Chalcedonica  3  to  4 

Dianthus  dcltoides  1 

tMesembryanthemum,   variegated,  Mesembryanthemum   acinaci- 

yellow,  white,  purple,  &c.  forme,  speetabile,  tricolor,  etc.  1  to  2 

tMexican  Sage,  scarlet  Salvia  Splendens  2  to  3 

Monkshood,  white,  blue,  &c.  Aconitum  album,  versicolor, etc.  4  to  6 

Monkey  flower,  yellow,  purple  spotsUf imulus  ringens,  luteus,  etc.     1  to  2 


tOleander,  pink,  white 
*Pardanthus,  Chinese,  orange 
Pentstemon,  purple 
Perennial  Flax,  purple 


Nerium,  Oleander 
Pardanthus,  Chinensis 
Pentstemon,  campanulata 
Linum,  perennis 


1  Periwinkle, Madagascar,  rose,white  Vinca  rosea,  alba 


2  to  3 

g 

2to3 
2te3 
lto2 


30 


BTENNIAL  AND  PERENNIAL  FLOWERS. 


t  Denotes  tender.       ||  Biennial.      *  Seed  unattainable.  HEIGH? 

IN  FEET 

Pink,  Pheasant-eyed,  variegated       Diantlus  plumnrius        under  1 

tPolyantlnu ,  variable  and  splendid  Primula  polyanthus         under  1 

Poppy,  Perennial,  red,  yellow  Papaver  orientate,  bracteata    2  to  3 

Potentilla,  rose,  puce,  yellow  Potentilla  formosa,  splendens   I  to  2 

t|I Pyramidal  Bell  flower,  blue  Campanula  pyramidalis 

*Q,ueen  of  the  Meadows,  white,  rose  Spiicea  ulmaria,  lobata,  etc. 
*Raggrd  Robin,  or  Red  Lichnis       A^rostimma  fas  cucula 
Rocket  Garden,  purple  Hfsperis  matnnalis 

||Rose  Campion,  or  Mullen  Pink,    Agroslemma  coronaria, 

rose,  white,  &c.  rosea,  alba,  etc. 

Rudbeckia,  yellow,  purple  Rudbeckm,  Ivha  purpurea 

Saphonaria,  rose  blush  Saphonaria  officinalis,  etc. 

*Saxifrage,  rose,  white,  purple  Saxifrata  umbro*a,trassifulia,l 

flSnapdragon, white,  red,  \ariegatQd,A  n  t  irrl'  i  nam  bicolor,  versicolor 

in  several  splendid  varieties  coccinea,  spurlnun,  etc.  1  to  2 

Sophora,  white,  blue,  &c.  Sophora  alba,  aulfilis  2  to  3 

t||Stock  Gilliflower,  numerous  vatr'ie-Mathiola  incanus  coccinea-  alba, 

ties,  scarlet, white,  purple,  striped      purpu/ea,  striata,  etc.  1  to  2 

*Sunflo\.er,  yellow  II  dim  thus  perenni$.altissimus3  to  4 

|| Sweet  Scabious,  purple,  brown      Scabiosa  alro  purpurea,  etc.     2  to  3 


3/o4 

3/o  4 

l/o  2 

2/o  3 

2  to  3 

3  to  A 

1  to  2 

Sweet  William,  various  colours 
*Thrift,  pink  and  red 
Valerian,  Garden,  red,  white 
Valerian,  Sweet-scented,  blue 
Veronica,  variegated,  blue 
*  Violet,  Fragrant,  white,  blue,  &c. 
t||\Vallflower,  bloody,  yellow 
*t\Vallflower,  double  perennial 
t||Wall-leaved;  Stock  Gilliflower 
* Windflower,  various  colours 
Yucca,  or  Adam's  Needle,  white 


Dianthus  barbatus  1  to  2 

Stalice  vulgaris,  ipeciosa*  under  1 

Valeriana  rubra,  alba  2  tod 

Polemonium  cerulca  3  to  4 

Veronica  variegata,  cerulea  2  to  3 
Viola  odorala;  alba,  cerulca,  under  1 

Cheiranlhus  cheiri  I  to  2 

Cheiranlhus  per ennis  I  to  2 

Cheiranlhus  glaber  1  to  2 

Anemone  coronaria  1  to  2 

Yucca  stricla,  gloriosa,  etc.  3  to  4 


CLIMBING  PLANTS. 


For  other  lists  of  Climbing  Plants,  see  Catalogue  of  Flowering  and 
Ornamental  Shrubs,  also  the  Catalogue  of  Annuals. 


Calampelis,  orange 
IClimbing  Cobea,  dark  purple 
Everlasting  Peas,  pink, 
1  French  Honeysuckle,  white,  red 
tPassion  Flower,  various  colours 


Eccremocarpus  scabra  over  6 

Cobea  scanden*  over  20 

Lathyrus  latt/oli  s,  rosea,  over  10 
Hedysarum  coronarium,  etc.  over  6 
Passijlora  incarnata,  etc.        over  20 


BIENMAL    AND    TERENNIAL    FLOWERS.  31 

The  reader  is  here  reminded  that  our  catalogue  of 
Annual  flower  seeds,  contains  a  few  varieties  of  Perennials, 
which  were  there  introduced  because  of  their  aptness  to 
blossom  in  the  first  season  from  the  sowing  of  seeds  ;  these 
with  those  marked  f  in  the  last  catalogue,  may  he  sown 
and  treated  in  the  manner  recommended  for  the  tender 
Annuals.  Those  intended  to  be  cultivated  as  greenhouse 
plants,  should  be  taken  up  before  the  approach  of  cold 
weather,  transplanted  into  flower  pots,  and  sheltered  either 
in  -a  garden  frame,  greenhouse,  or  light  room.  Those 
plants  with  tuberous  roots,  such  as  Dahlias,  Marvel  of  Peru, 
and  also  some  others  of  the  Bean  and  Pea  tribe,  may  be 
cut  down  late  in  the  Autumn  ;  the  roots  may  be  then  taken 
up  and  preserved  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of  other 
tuberous  and  bulbous-rooted  plants,  of  which  I  shall  treat 
hereafter. 

Hardy  Biennial  and  Perennial  flower  seeds  may  be  sown 
in  the  month  of  April,  in  shallow  drills.  If  this  business  be 
performed  in  the  manner  recommended  for  Annuals,  they 
can  be  easily  distinguished  from  each  other  ;  and  as  these 
plants  do  not  flower  the  first  year,  they  may  be  thinned  out, 
or  removed  from  the  seed  beds  as  soon  as  they  are  well 
rooted,  and  planted  either  into  different  parts  of  the  flower 
beds,  or  in  a  nursery  bed.  Ifthe  latter  plan  be  adopted, 
they  should  be  planted  in  rows  a  foot  or  more  apart,  and 
kept  free  from  weeds  by  mpans  of  a  small  hoe,  which  will 
greatly  promote  their  growth,  and  prepare  them  for  trans- 
planting into  the  regular  and  permanent  blossoming  beds, 
either  in  ihe  Autumn  or  early  in  the  ensuing  Spring. 

It  may  be  here  observed  that  Biennials  seldom  survive  the 
second  Winter  to  flower  in  perfection,  unless  they  are  renewed 
by  cuttingsoftop  shoots,  youngflower  stalks,  or  casual  offsets, 
layers,  &c.  It  will  be  unnecessary  to  take  this  trouble, 
unless  it  be  with  any  extraordinary  double-flowering  plants. 
Some  of  the  Perennials  may  be  increased  by  root  offsets 
detached  from  the  old    plants,  and   planted  in  Spring  or 


BIENNIAL    AND    PERENNIAL    PLANTS.  32 

Autumn;  others  by  bottom  suckers  and  slips  of  top  shoots, 
layers,  pipings  of  young  shoots,  &c.  Pinks,  SweetWilliams 
Pansies  and  double  Violets,  also  Periwinkle,  or  running 
Myrtle,  and  many  other  similar  plants,  may  be  increased 
by  simply  laying  their  branches  an  inch  or  two  under  the 
surface  in  July  and  August.  After  roots  have  formed, 
which  may  be  expected  in  six  or  eight  weeks,  each  tuft  or 
plant  may  be  transplanted  into  the  borders. 

Many  sorts  of  Biennial  and  Perennial  flower  seeds  may 
be  sown  in  September,  or  as  soon  as  ripe ;  and  if  the 
plants  get  strong  before  the  setting  in  of  Winter,  some  of 
them  will  flower  the  Summer  next  ensuing.  The  following 
are  amongst  the  hardiest : 

Adonis,  Spring-flowering.  Lychnis,  in  varieties. 

Alpine  Columbine.  Larkspur,  perennial. 

Alyssum,  yellow.  Rose  Campion,  in  varieties. 

Bee,  larkspur.  Rocket,  in  varieties. 

Columbine,  in  varieties.  Scabious,  in  varieties. 

Evening  Primrose.  Valerian,  Garden. 

Fox-glove,  in  varieties.  Veronica. 

Fraxinella.  Everlasting  Peas.  K,-    K-    „ 

tt  11  i      i     •  •  s  \i'     •   ■>    t>Z  }  climbing 

Hollyhock,  m  varieties.  Virgin  s  Bower.    $ 

It  may  be  necessary  here  to  remind  the  reader  of  those 
species  of  beautiful  double-flowering  Perennial  herba- 
ceous plants,  which  do  not  produce  seed  ;  some  of  these 
are  included  in  our  Catalogue,  they  may  be  obtained  at  the 
nurseries,  and  should  be  introduced  into  the  regular  flower 
beds,  either  in  Autumn  or  early  in  the  Spring ;  the  mode  of 
increasing  such,  is  by  layers,  cuttings,  offsets,  &c.  detach- 
ed from  the   old  plants. 

As  the  earth  within  the  flower  beds  will  need  to  be 
fresh  dug  and  replenished  with  good  compost  or  manure, 
once  in  two  or  three  years,  it  may  be  necessary  to  take  up 
all  the  Perennial  plants  at  such  times.  Such  roots  as  may 
be  overgrown,  should  be  deprived  of  their  surplus  offsets, 
and  may  be  either  planted  in  a  nursery  bed,  or  returned 
with  the  parent  plants  into  the  regular  flower  beds  ;  they 
should  be  inserted  a  little  deeper  than  before,  and  the  fine 
fresh  earth  distributed  well  about  the  fibres. 


BIENNIAL  AND  PERENNIAL  PLANTS.  33 

In  removing  plants  into  the  beds  where  they  are  intended 
to  blossom,  great  pains  should  be  taken  to  preserve  some  of 
the  earth  to  their  roots.  The  ground  should  be  previously 
brought  into  good  condition,  so  that  they  may  strike  freely, 
and  produce  their  flowers  in  perfection.  The  plants  should 
be  so  arranged  that  they  may  all  be  seen,  the  most  dwarfy 
may  be  placed  in  front,  and  others  in  a  regular  gradation  to 
the  tallest  behind  ;  or  the  tallest  may  be  planted  along  the 
middle  of  the  beds,  and  the  others  on  each  side  according 
to  their  varied  heights  and  colours. 

There  is  no  part  of  gardening  which  requires  so  much 
elegance  of  taste  and  fancy,  as  in  setting  off  9  border  or  bed 
of  intermixed  flowers  to  advantage.  In  assemblage  with 
other  flowers,  the  different  kinds  of  hardy  bulbs  may  be 
planted  in  small  clumps  of  six,  seven,  or  eight  inches  in 
diameter,  three,  four,  five  or  more  roots  in  each,  according 
to  their  size  and  growth,  and  these  at  suitable  distances 
from  one  another.  Likewise  observe  to  diversify  the  kinds 
and  colours,  so  as  to  display  when  in  bloom,  the  greatest 
possible  variety  of  shades  and  contrasts. 

If  Greenhouse  plants  be  plunged  into  the  flower  borders 
in  the  month  of  May.  they  will  not  only  tend  to  ornament 
the  garden,  by  their  diversity  of  foiia^e  and  blossom,  but  the 
roots  will  receive  a  more  uniform  supply  of  moisture,  than 
if  the  pots  were  openly  exposed  to  the  sun  and  wind:  care 
should  however  be  taken  to  give  the  different  species  a  situa- 
tion suitable  for  them.  Hydrangeas,  Primulas,  Daisies, 
Oleanders,  Cammelias,  China  Roses,  and  half  hardy  plants 
in  general,  thrive  best  in  a  moderately  shaded  situation. 
Geraniums,  Jasmines,  Helotropes  &.C.,  may  be  plunged  in  a 
sunny  situation,  provided  they  be  regularly  supplied  with 
water.  Many  species  planted  for  ornament  in  the  flower 
borders,  may  at  the  same  time  be  propagated  by  layers. 
The  Fuchsia  or  Ear-drop,  Passion  Flower,  Helotrope, 
Carnation,  Petunia,  running  Verbena,  &c.,  will  iflayed  in 
June  and  July,  exhibit   their  blossoms  in  perfection,  and 


34  BIENNIAL    AND  PERENNIAL  PLANTS. 

yield  young  plants,  which  being  preserved  through  Winter, 
may  be  used  to  replenish  flower  beds  the  ensuing  Spring.* 

It  may  be  observed  further,  that  established  plants  will 
always  produce  their  blossoms  earlier  and  stronger  in  the 
Spring,  than  those  recently  transplanted  ;  it  should,  there- 
fore, be  an  object    with  gardeners    to  do  the  business    of 

*  In  some  countries,  the  wealthy  have  changeable  flower  gardens; 
the  principal  of  which  consists  in  the  power  of  changing  its  production 
at  pleasure,  so  that  whenever  any  plant  or  group  of  plants,  begin  to 
decay,  they  can  be  removed,  and  their  places  supplied  by  others  coming 
into  bloom.  To  admit  this,  a  large'reserve-nursery  is  requisite,  in  which 
the  plants  must  be  kept  in  pots,  and  removed  and  plunged  in  the  borders 
as  wanted.  Sir  W.  Chambers  informs  us  that  the  Chinese  excel  in  this 
mode  of  gardening;  and  that  he  has  known  a  mandarin  (ornoblej  have 
the  whole  furniture  and  style  of  his  parterre  changed  in  a  single  night, 
so  as  next  morning  to  present  not  only  a  different  description  of  flowers, 
shrubs,  and  dwarf  trees,  but  a  different  arrangement  of  the  beds  and 
compartments.  Something  of  the  same  kind  is  practised  in  the  gardens 
of  the  Tuilleries,  in  Paris ;  in  some  of  the  imperial  gardens  at  Petersburg, 
and  in  the  vice-royal  gardens  at  Monza-  Gardens  of  this  description 
admit  of  a  very  perfect  arrangement  of  the  flowers,  whether  in  the 
mingled  manner,  in  select  groups,  or  according  to  the  natural  method. 
It  is  only  with  such  resources  that  a  flower-gardener  can  "  paint  his 
way/'  as  Sir  W.  Chambers  says  the  Chinese  artists  do,  "not  scattering 
their  flowers  indiscriminately  about  their  borders,  but  disposing  of  them 
with  great  circumspection  along  the  skirts  of  the  plantations,  or  other 
places  where  flowers  are  to  be  introduced.  They  reject  all  that  are  of  a 
straggling  growth  of  harsh  colors  and  poor  foliage,  choosing  only  such 
as  are  of  some  duration,  grow  either  large  or  in  clusters,  are  of  beautiful 
forms,  well  leaved,  and  of  tints  that  harmonize  with  the  greens  that  sur- 
round them  They  avoid  all  sudden  transitions,  both  with  regard  to 
dimension  and  colour,  rising  gradually  from  the  smallest  floWers  to  those 
of  the  boldest  growth;  and  varying  their  tints,  by  eusy  gradations,  from 
white,  straw-colour,  purple,  and  incarnate,  to  the  deepest  blue*,  and  most 
brilliant  crimsons  and  scarlets.  They  frequently  blend  several  roots 
together,  whose  leaves  and  flowers  unite,  and  compose  one  rich  harmo- 
nious mass  ;  such  as  the  white  and  purple  candytuft,  larkspurs,  and 
mallows  of  various  colours,  double  poppies,  lupins,  primroses,  pinks,  and 
carnations  :  with  many  more  of  which  the  forms  and'colours  accord  with 
each  other  ;  and  the  same  method  they  use  with  flowering  shrubs,  blend- 
ing white,  red,  and  variegated  roses  together,  purple  and  white  lilacs, 
yellow  and  white  jasmines,  altheas  of  various  sorts,  and  as  many  others 
as  they  can  with  any  propriety  unite.  By  these  mixtures  they  increase 
considerably  the  variety  and  beauty  of  their  compartments.  In  their 
large  plantations,  the  flowers  generally  grow  in  the  natural  ground ;  but 
in  flower-gardens,  and  all  other  parts  that  are  highly  kept,  they  are  in 
pots  buried  in  the  ground,  which,  as  fast  as  the  bloom  goes  off,  are 
removed  and  others  are  brought  to  supply  their  places  ;  so  that  there  is 
a  constant  succession  for  almost  every  month  in  the  year;  and  the 
flowers  are  never  seen  but  in  the  height  of  their  beauty." — Loudon's 
Encyclopedia  of  Gardening, 


FLOWERING  And  ornamental  shrubs.  35 

forming  permanent  flower  beds,  and  of  transplanting  hardy 
Perennial  and  Biennial  plants  in  September  or  October. 

The  hardy  bulbous  roots  must  be  also  planted  in  October, 
or  November,  which  on  being  properly  preserved  through 
the  Winter  will  embellish  the  parterre  in  Spring  by  their 
early  and  First  Flowers. 

"  First  flowers  of  the  Spring  time. 

Bright  gems  of  the  year, 
All  lovely  and  blooming, 

How  fresh  ye  appear  ; 
Springing  up  in  the  garden, 

The  hedge  row  2nd  vale, 
Enriched  by  the  showers, 

And  fann'd  by  the  gale." 

In  my  preliminary  observations,  I  directed  the  attention 
of  my  readers  to  some  important  points  respecting  walks, 
edgings,  &c. — Although  box  is  superior  to  any  thing  else 
for  edgings ;  yet  in  extensive  gardens,  dwarf  plants  of 
various  kinds  may  be  used  for  such  purpose.  Thrift  is  the 
neatest  small  evergreen  next  to  box ;  but  Violets,  Pinks, 
Periwinkle, Pansey,  Iris,  Stone  crop,  or  even  Parsley,Thyme, 
Strawberry  plants,  &c.  may  be  used  for  the  sake  of  diversity. 
These  will  require  frequent  watering  and  trimming,  and  the 
Thrift,  &c.  should  be  sometimes  taken  up,  divided  at  the 
roots  and  replanted. 

Box  edgings  will  also  require  frequent  pruning  and  trim- 
ming ;  and  once  in  from  seven  to  ten  years  the  whole  may 
be  taken  up,  divided  and  replanted,  and  the  surplus  slips 
may  be  planted  in  a  nursery  bed  in  rows  about  a  foot  apart ; 
these  will  be  suitable  for  making  edgings  the  year  following. 

Flower  beds  should  be  kept  free  from  weeds,  and  watered 
occasionally  in  the  Summer.  In  the  Autumn  they  should 
be  eovered  with  leaves,  straw  or  light  litter ;  this  should  be 
taken  off  in  the  Spring,  and  the  ground  should  be  hoed  and 
dressed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  enliven  the  earth  around 


&6  FLOWERING  AND  ORNAMENTAL  SHRUBS. 

the  roots  of  the  plants,  as  also  to  give  the  whole  a  neat 
appearance. 

FLOWERING    AND   ORNAMENTAL  SHRUBS. 

Arbrisseaux  d'Ornement. 

Shrubs  are  so  closely  connected  with  flowering  plants, 
and  indeed  so  many  of  them  are  embellished  with  flowers, 
that  they  may  be  considered  as  essential  to  the  completion 
of  an  ornamental  garden.  They  are  all  Perennial,  and  are 
divided  into  two  classes,  deciduous  and  evergreen  ;  the  for- 
mer lose  their  leaves  in  the  Winter,  the  latter  only  shed 
them  when  others  are  ready  to  supply  their  places. 

Shrubs  are  not  only  necessary  to  the  embellishment  of  a 
flower  garden,  but  many  kinds  are  eligible  for  hedges  to  it, 
and  may  be  planted  at  a  trifling  expense.  These  hedges 
should  be  frequently  trimmed  and  trained,  the  sides  cut  even 
and  the  io?s  sparingly  clipped,  so  as  to  make  them  ornamen- 
tal, as  well  as  useful,  and  also  to  increase  the  vigour  of  their 
growth.  When  hedges  become  open  or  naked  at  the 
bottom,  they  should  be  plashed  down  ;  this  is  done  by 
cutting  the  branches  half  through  near  the  ground;  they 
will  then  bend  easily,  and  may  be  interwoven  with  the 
adjoining  branches. 

When  shrubs,  creepers,  or  climbers,  are  planted  against 
walls  or  trellises,  either  on  account  of  their  rarity,  delicacy, 
or  to  conceal  a  rough  fence,  or  other  unsightly  object,  they 
require  different  modes  of  training  ;  some  attach  themselves 
naturally,  as  the  ivy,  and  merely  require  to  be  occasionally 
guided,  so  as  to  cause  a  regular  distribution  of  their  shoots  ; 
others  must  be  treated  like  fruit  trees,  trained  thinly,  it 
blossoms  are  the  object,  and  rather  thicker,  if  the  intention 
be  to  show  the  foliage  to  the  greatest  possible  advantage. 

Ornamental  shrubs  grow  from  one  foot  to  twelve  or  more 
in  height:  and  where  such  are  planted  for  ornament,  the 


FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  37 

height  of  each  plant,  when  full  grown,  should  be  considered, 
and  also  the  mode  of  growth,  that  every  one  may  be  so 
planted  as  to  show  to  advantage,  observing  that  the  tall- 
growing  should  be  planted  in  the  back  part  of  the  borders, 
and  those  of  low-growth  forward  ;  but  if  they  are  required  to 
be  planted  in  clumps,  they  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  rise 
gradually  from  the  sides  to  the  middle,  and  be  afterwards 
neatly  trimmed. 

Shrubs  require  an  annual  pruning,  at  which  time  cut  out 
all  irregular  and  superfluous  branches,  and  head  down  such 
as  require  it,  forming  them  into  handsome  bushes.  Apply 
stakes  to  such  as  may  need  support,  and  see  that  the  low- 
growing  ones  do  not  injure  each  other,  nor  interfeie  with 
other  dwarfish  plants  near  them. 

Many  kinds  of  shrubs  may  be  raised  from  seed  sown 
early  in  the  Spring,  but  are  more  commonly  propagated  by 
suckers,  layers,  or  cuttings.  Like  other  plants,  they  require 
a  good  soil,  which  should  be  manured  every  two  or  three 
years,  and  some  of  the  tender  kinds  should  have  some  pro- 
tection in  Winter. 

The  following  list  taken  from  the  New-York  Farmer, 
furnished  by  Mr.  Floy,  contains  the  most  of  those  usually 
planted  in  gardens  and  on  lawns.  These  will  furnish  a 
succession  of  flowers  from  Spring  until  Autumn,  and  may  be 
obtained  at  the  nurseries  at  moderate  prices. 


CATALOGUE,  &c. 

Amorpha  fruticosctt — Indigo  shrub,  produces  handsome 
bunches  of  purple  flowers  in  June  and  July. 

Amygdalus  nana,  Dwarf  double-flowering  Almond  ;  a 
very  beautiful  shrub,  about  three  feet  high;  blossoms  early 
in  April. 

Aralia  spinosa,  or  Angelica  tree,  about  ten  feet  high  ; 
flowers  in  very  large  bunches,  and  continues  a  long  season. 

4 


38  FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS. 

Cytisus  Laburnum,  or  Golden  Chain;  a  most  elegant 
shrub,  producing  long  racemes  or  bunches  of  yellow  flow- 
ers in  June  and  July  ;  there  are  two  kinds,  the 
English  and  the  Scotch  Laburnum.  The  Scotch  is  the 
largest,  forming  a  pretty  large  shrub  ;  the  English  kind  is 
greener,  more  compact,  and  by  some  thought  to  be  the 
handsomest ;  they  ought  to  be  in  every  garden. 

Cah/canthus  Floridus,  Allspice,  or  sweet-scented  shrub,  a 
native  of  the  Southern  States ;  the  flowers  are  of  a  very 
dark  chocolate  colour,  and  the  fragrance  very  much  resem- 
bles ripe  strawberries,  easily  kept  when  once  introduced; 
this  shrub  generally  grows  about  five  feet  high  in  gardens  ; 
blossoms  from  May  to  August. 

Ccanothus  Americanus,  Red  root,  or  Jersey  Tea  tree,  a 
plant  or  two  in  the  collection,  as  it  flowers  in  profusion,  is 
worth  having. 

Cercis  siliquastrum,  or  Judas  tree.  The  flowers  appear 
very  early  in  the  Spring,  before  the  leaves  come  out,  and 
make  a  fine  appearance  :  as  it  grows  rather  tall,  it  is  calcu- 
lated for  the  back  row  of  the  shrubbery. 

Colutea  arborescens,  or  Bladder  Senna,  having  bunches  of 
yellow  flowers  in  June  and  July,  which  are  succeeded  by 
seeds  in  a  kind  of  bladder,  calculated  for  the  back  or  centre 
row  of  shubberies. 

Crataegus  oxyacantha,  the  Hawthorn.  It  makes  a  pretty 
appearance  planted  out  singly  in  the  back  or  centre  row ; 
the  flowers  are  very  fragrant ;  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
Pride  of  May  ;  the  double  white,  double  scarlet,  and  single 
scarlet  Hawthorn,  are  extremely  beautiful,  and  ought  to  be 
in  every  plantation.  Hawthorn  hedges  are  much  used  in 
England,  where  they  look  xery  handsome  when  clipped; 
but  they  do  not  answer  so  well  in  this  country,  the  heat 
of  our  Summers  causing  the  leaves  to  fall  off  early,  often  in 
July;  on  that  account  they  are  not  much  used.  We  have 
several  things  which  are  better  calculated  for  that  purpose. 

Cydonia  Japonica^  or  Pyrus  Japonica,  a  very  beautiful 


FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  39 

scarlet-flowering  shrub,  from  Japan,  has  not  been  in  culti- 
vation here  for  many  years.  It  is  found  to  be  very  hardy, 
resisting  our  most  severe  frosts  ;  it  is  evergreen,  flowers 
very  early,  and  continues  a  longtime.  A  second  flowering 
takes  place  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Summer.  It  is  every 
way  a  desirable  shrub. 

Daphne  mezcrion,  one  of  our  most  early  flowering  shrubs, 
which  blooms  freely  in  April  and  May,  and  is  very  sweet- 
scented.  It  is  rather  tender  in  some  situations,  but  will 
stand  our  ordinary  Winters  very  well  in  a  sheltered  situation. 

Dirca  palustris,  or  Leather  wood  ;  a  pretty  little  shrub, 
growing  very  regular  in  shape,  and  has  the  appearance  of  a 
large  tree  in  miniature  ;  it  is  a  native  of  our  Northern 
States;  the  flowers,  which  appear  very  early  in  the  Spring, 
are  yellow,  and  come  out  before  the  leaves. 

Gymnocladus  Canadensis,  or  Kentucky  Coffee  tree.  The 
berries  have  a  resemblance  to  coffee,  and  are  said  to  be 
a  good  substitute  for  it ;  however,  it  is  a  beautiful  tree,  witk 
handsome  feathered  leaves,  and  makes  a  fine  contrast  with 
others.  It  should  be  planted  in  the  back  or  the  centre  of 
the  plantation,  and  is  very  hardy. 

Halesia  diptera,  and  Halesia  tetrapttra,  two-winged  and 
four-winged  Silver  Bell,  or  Snow-drop  tree.  They  are  both 
natives  of  the  Southern  States,  but  are  perfectly  hardy  here  ; 
our  most  severe  Winters  do  not  hurt  them.  The  former 
kind  flowers  in  April,  and  the  latter  withholds  its  blossoms 
until  May.     They  are  elegant  shrubs. 

Hibiscus  Syriacus,  fl.  pleno.  The  double-flowering 
Althea  frutex,  of  which  there  are  several  varieties  ;  the 
double  white,  double  red,  double  red  and  white,  and  striped, 
are  the  most  showy  ;  they  commence  their  flowering  late  in 
July,  and  continue  until  Autumn.  The  single  kind,  of 
which  there  are  many  varieties,  are  scarcely  worth  culti- 
vating, the  double  ones  being  raised  quite  as  well,  and 
are  equally  hardy.  These  are  indispensable  in  every 
plantation. 


40  FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL.    SHRUBS* 

Hypericum  frutescens,  Shrubby  Hypericum.  There  are 
several  species  of  this  small  beautiful  shrub,  all  natives  of 
the  Southern  States,  but  perfectly  hardy  here.  They  all 
flower  profusely  in  the  Summer,  and  continue  ftp*  along 
time.     They  should  be  planted  in  the  front  row. 

Kttrria  Japonica,  or  Corchorus  Japonica,  yellow  Japan 
Globe  flower  ;  although  a  native  of  Japan,  like  many  other 
Japanese  flowers,  it  is  perfectly  hardy  here.  It  flowers  in 
the  greatest  profusion  at  all  times,  except  in  the  very  dead 
of  Winter,  and  will  grow  almost  in  any  soil  or  situation. 

Kozlreuteria  paniculata,  Japan  bladder  tree,  or  Kcelre- 
terius.  This  is  another  hardy  shrub  from  Japan.  It  has 
long  racemes  of  flowers,  succeeded  by  bladder-like  fruit, 
and  is  worthy  of  cultivation  in  every  good  collection. 

Ligi'striim  vulgare,  virens.  Large  European  Privet,  a 
very  handsome  evergreen  shrub,  flowering  profusely  in  June, 
and  produces  bunches  of  black  round  berries,  it  bears 
slipping  well,  and  is  therefore  well  calculated  for  hedges,  or 
to  enclose  ornamental  plantations.  It  grows  quick,  and  is 
v  11  adapted  to  our  climate,  and  when  planted  in  a  hedge- 
row, and  kept  clipped,  it  makes  a  beautiful  hedge,  and  ought 
to  be  in  more  gem    al  use. 

PMladdplius  coronarius,  or  common  Syringa,  is  very 
ornamental,  producing  its  sweet-scented  flowers  early  in 
the  Spring,  and  in  abundance. 

Pliiladelphus  inodorous,  and  P.  grandiflaras^  Garland 
Syringa,  are  both  natives  of  the  Southern  States,  but  quite 
hardy  here.  Their  flowers  are  large,  and  continue  for 
several  months,  in  wreaths  or  garlands  They  are  well 
calculated  for  the  centre  row,  and  also  to  hide  unsightly 
objects,  and  have  a  beautiful  effect  when  mixed  with 
monthly  honeysuckles,  &c. 

Persica,  or  Amygdalus  Pcvsica,  fl.  rosea  pleno,  or  double- 
flowering  Peach,  is  very  beautiful  in  shrubberies.  It  blos- 
soms early,  and  sometimes  bears  fruit,  but  it  is  cultivated 
entirely  for  its  beautiful  blossoms,      A    few  trees  of   the 


FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  41 

Chinese  double-floworing  Apple,  (Pyrus  spectabilis,)  have 
also  a  beautiful  effect. 

Rhus  cotinus,  Venetian  sumach,  Aaron's  beard,  some- 
times called  fringe  tree,  is  a  fine  shrub,  calculated  for  the 
centre  of  the  clump  or  shrubbery.  Its  large  branches  of 
fringe  remaining  all  the  Summer,  give  it  a  curious  and  stri- 
king  effect. 

Ribes  3fissouriensis,  or  Missouri  currant ;  there  are  two 
species  of  this  very  ornamental  shrub  from  Missouri,  intro- 
duced by  Lewis  &  Clarke;  they  are  quite  hardy,  and  flower 
profusely  from  April  to  June. 

Robinia  glutinosa,  and  Robinia  hispida  ;  the  former  a 
pretty  large  shrub,  producing  fine  bunches  of  flowers  in 
great  abundance  throughout  the  Summer;  the  latter  is  a 
smaller  shrub  ;  both  of  them  are,  however,  worthy  of  a  place 
in  large  collections. 

Robinia  pseudo-acacia,  or  Yellow  Locust  tree.*  This  is 
superior  to  any  other  kind  of  wood  for  ship-tunnels,  inill- 
cogs,  and  fence-posts,  as  well  as  for  various  other  purposes. 
Its  culture  is  very  easy,  and  may  be  propagated  in  great 
abundance,  by  sowing  the  seed  in  March,  April,  or  May,  in 
a  bed  of  good  sandy  loam,  which  is  its  favorite  soil,  and 
covering  half  an  inch  deep.  Previous  to  sowing,  put  the 
seed  in  a  basin,  pour  on  scalding  water,  and  let  it  stand  all 
night ;  pick  out  such  seeds  as  are  swollen,  and  plant  them 
immediately;  next  evening  repeat  the  same  process  with 
such  as  did  not  swell  the  first  night,  mix  the  whole  and 
sow  them;  they  will  come  up  in  the  course  of  the  following 
month  numerously  ;  for  no  seeds  grow  more  freely,  not- 
withstanding what  some  say  to  the  contrary.  When  the 
plants  are  ayearold,  transplant  them  out  of  the  seed  bed  into 
nursery  rows,  four  feet  distant,  and  plant  from  plant,  one 
foot.     Having  two  or  three  years'   growth  in  these    rows, 


*  This  tree  is  introduced  here,  rather  on  acccount  of  its  usefulness 
than  beauty,  though  the  latter  is  vers  considerable. 

4* 


43  FLOWERING    AND    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS* 

they  may  be  planted  successfully  in  any  warm  and  tolerably 
rich  sandy  ground.  They  may  also  be  propagated  by  suck- 
ers,  which  they  throw  up  abundantly,  especially  if  some  of 
the  wide-extending  roots  be  cut  through  with  an  axe.  An 
acre  of  these  trees,  planted  at  two  feet  distant  each  way,  will 
contain  10,890 ;  at  four  feet  distant,  2,722 ;  and  it  is  said 
that  no  appropriation  of  land  is  more  lucrative  than  that 
deyoted  to  this  purpose.  The  Three-Thorned  Acacia  Seed 
(Gleditscliia)  should  be  prepared  in  the  same  manner. 

Rosa,  or  Roses,  a  very  numerous  variety  of  these;  some 
reckon  five  or  six  hundred  kinds.  They  are  accounted  the 
most  beautiful  of  Flora's  productions.  Perhaps  a  handsome 
collection  might  be  made  of  about  fifty  of  the  best  sorts, 
which,  by  taking  ruch  quantity,  I  suppose  might  be  obtained 
at  about  fifty  cents  each,  under  name  ;  and,  generally,  a 
fine  collection  unnamed  at  half  that  amount.-  No  good 
garden  or  shrubbery  should  be  without  them. 

Soj'bus  aucuparia,  Mountain  Ash,  or  Roan  tree.  This 
is  a  very  beautiful  shrub  of  the  larger  size  ;  the  leaves  are 
ornamental  ;  the  flowers  and  fruit,  which  are  produced  in 
large  bunches,  are  beautiful  ;  the  fruit  remains  till  late  in 
the  Autumn  ;  it  is  a  native  of  Europe. 

Sorbus  Canadensis.  This  is  a  native  of  our  Northern 
frontiers  and  mountains  ;  it  does  not  grow  so  large  as  the 
former  ;  the  berries  are  smaller  and  red,  the  former  larger 
and  of  an  orange  colour,  but  otherwise  much  resemble  it. 

Spartium  junceum,  Genista,  etc.  Two  or  three  species  of 
Broom,  producing  numerous  bunches  of  yellow  ilowers  in 
May  and  June  ;  the  Genista,  or  Spanish  Broom,  which  has 
white  flowers,  is  also  very  pretty,  but  not  quite  so  hardy  as 
the  former. 

Symphoria  reccmosa,  or  Snow-berry,  sometimes  called 
St.  Peter's  wort,  a  pretty  little  shrub  ;  the  bunches  of  wax- 
like white  berries,  which  it  produces  during  the  whole  Sum- 
mer, give  it  a  beautiful  appearance. 

Syringa  vu'garis,  or  common  Lilac,  blossoming  in  May, 


CLIMBING    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  43 

is  well  known  to  all,  and  needs  no  comment.  The  white 
variety  is  not  quite  so  common— they  are  only  used  for  out- 
side plantings,  as  they  sucker  very  freely,  and  soon  make 
themselves  common. 

Syringa  Persica,  or  Persian  Lilac,  is  a  delicate  low  shrub, 
the  flowers  very  abundant,  and  the  leaves  small  and  delicate. 
There  are  two  varieties  of  the  Persian  Lilac  ;  the  white 
flowering,  and  the  blue  or  purple  flowering. 

The  Chinese  cut-leaved  Lilac  is  very  curious  ;  the  leaves 
are  cut  like  Parsley,  tha  flowers  growing  in  longer  racemes 
than  the  former. 

Siberian,  or  large  Persian  Lilac  The  bunches  of  flowers 
are  very  large,  and  continue  in  season  a  long  time  after  tie 
common  Lilac. 

Tamarix  Gallica,  or  French  Tamarix,  and  the  Tamarix 
Germanica,  German  Tamarix,  are  two  pretty  shrubs  ;  the 
leaves  and  branches  are  small  and  slender,  producing  quan- 
tities of  beautiful  flowers,  which  form  a  very  striking  contrast 
to  the  other  part  of  the  shrubbery. 

Viburnum  opulus,  or  Guilder  rose,  otherwise  called  Snow- 
ball, is  a  very  showy  shrub,  producing  large  balls  of  snow- 
white  flowers  in  May  ;  and  is  indispensably  necessary  to 
every  shrubbery. 

Vitcx  agnus  castus,  or  Chaste  tree,  a  pretty  and  singular 
shrub,  flowering  the  most  part  of  the  Summer. 


CLIMBING  PLANTS. 


Ampelopsis  hederacea.  This  plant,  on  account  of  the 
largeness  of  its  leaves,  and  rapidity  of  its  growth,  is  well 
adapted  for  covering  walls.  There  are  several  species,  all 
resembling  the  vine  in  habit  and  flower. 

Aristolochia  sipho.  Birthwort,  or  Dutchman's  pipe.  A 
very  curious  blooming  plant,  with  extraordinary  large  foliage, 


44  CLIMBING    ORNAMENTAL  SHUUBS. 

well  calculated  for  an  arbour  ;  affording  a  dense  and  cool- 
ing shade. 

Atragene  alpina.  A  free-growing  deciduous  shrub,  with 
small  pinnated  foliage,  and  large  blush-coloured  flowers, 
which  continue  from  May  to  July. 

Bignonia  crucigera,  is  a  desirable  evergreen  ;  being  of  a 
luxuriant  growth.  It  will  cover  in  a  few  years  an  area  of 
fifty    feet,    and  bloom  from  May  to  August;   colour  orange. 

Bignonia  radicans,  or  Trumpet  creeper,  produces  large 
bunches  of  red  trumpet-shaped  flowers,  in  July  and  August. 

Bignonia  grandiflora,  is  much  like  the  former  in  habit 
and  appearance,  but  the  flowers  are  much  larger.  It  is 
said  to  be  a  native  of  China,  and  the  former  a  native  of  this 
country.  They  are  both  perfectly  hardy,  and  will  climb  up 
brickwork  or  wooden  fences,  without  any  assistance. 

Clematis,  or  Virg'ui's  Bower.  There  are  several  species, 
some  of  them  tender,  or  not  sufficiently  hardy  for  our  severe 
Winters,  without  protection.  The  Clematis  azurea,  bicolor 
andjlama,  are  splendid  varieties.  The  Clematis  Virginica, 
Viorna)  Viticelli,  and  Vitalba,  are  perfectly  hardy,  and 
blossom  throughout  the  Summer. 

Glycine  Si?iensis,  or  Wistaria  Sinensis,  is  a  handsome 
Chinese  creeper  of  recent  introduction,  from  China,  and  is 
not  yet  common  in  our  nurseries.  It  is  a  beautiful  vine, 
running  to  a  great  height,  and  loaded  with  long  racemes  of 
purple  flowers  throughout  the  Summer. 

Glycine frutescejis:  or  Wistaria  frutescens.  This  beautiful 
brother  of  the  Chinese  kind,  is  a  native  of  our  SouthernStates, 
grows  much  in  the  same  way  as  the  others,  and  perhaps  not 
inferior.  Although  this  fine  creeper  has  been  long  known 
in  England,  we  have  not  heard  much  about  it  by  English 
writers ;  the  conclusion  seems  to  be,  that  it  does  not  flower 
well  in  England.  In  fact,  none  of  our  Southern  plants  do 
well  in  that  country,  while  those  from  China  do  very  well — 
here,  however,  it  is  quite  the  reverse.  I  have  the  Chinese 
Wistaria  Sinensis,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  h'.gh,  and  the 


CLIMBING    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  4  £> 

American  Wistaria  about  the  same  height.  The  Chinese 
does  not  look  so  vigorous  and  green  as  his  American  bro- 
ther.— The  American  Wistaria  should  be  planted  in  every 
garden  with  other  creepers,  or  to  run  up  the  trees  in  shrub- 
beries, according  to  its  natural  position. 

Hedra  Helix.  Irish  Ivy,  is  a  desirable  evergreen  for 
covering  naked  walls,  or  any  other  unsightly  object.  The 
leaves  are  of  a  lively  green,  and  from  three  to  five  angled. 
There  are  several  varieties  of  it;  all  calculated  for  growing 
in  confined  shady  situations,  where  plants  in  general  will 
not  thrive. 

Jasminum  officinale.  Garden  Jasmine.  This  delicious 
climbing  shrub,  has  from  time  immemorial,  been  common  in 
Europe  for  covering  arbours.  Its  delicate  white  fragrant 
flowers  render  it  very  desirable  ;  but  it  is  rather  tender  for 
our  Northern  Winters,  unless  well  protected.  In  the  South- 
ern States,  this  plant,  and  also  the  yellow  Jasmine,  revolu- 
tion, grow  luxuriantly  and  bloom  profusely,  and  even  Jas- 
minum grandijlora  will  endure  the  Winters  of  South  Caro- 
lina and  Georgia. 

Lonicera,  comprehending  all  the  fine  sweet-scented  honey- 
suckles. Of  the  Italian  kinds,  the  monthly  honeysuckle  is 
decidedly  superior,  continuing  to  flower  all  through  the 
Summer,  until  late  in  Autumn,  and  is  very  fragrant.  Some 
of  the  other  European  kinds  maybe  occasionally  introduced 
into  large  shrubberies.  There  is  a  white  honeysuckle 
lately  introduced  from  France,  denominated  Hedysarum 
toronarium,  which  is  in  great  repute.  Two  or  three  Ameri- 
can kinds  deserve  particular  notice. 

Lonicera  semper  virens,ov  Coral  Trumpet,  monthly  honey- 
suckle, is  extremely  beautiful,  flowering  the  whole  of  the 
Summer,  with  its  thousands  of  scarlet  bunches  ;  it  is> 
however,  destitute  of  scent. 

Lonicera  Fraseri,  also  an  American  :  the  flowers  are  like 
the  other  kind  in  almost  every  particular,  except  colour, 
this  being  a  bright  yellow. 


CLIMBING    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  46 

Lonicera  pubescens,  or  Caprifolium  pubescens,  a  large 
and  beautiful  honeysuckle  from  the  North-west  coast  ;  the 
flowers  are  large,  and  of  a  bright  copper  colour,  inclining  to 
orange — they  are  all  perfectly  hardy. 

Lonicera  Jlexuosa — Chinese  honeysuckle,  of  late  intro- 
duction ;  it  is  perfectly  hardy,  withstanding  our  most  severe 
frosts  without  the  least  injury  ;  it  is  a  very  sweet-scented 
honeysuckle,  grows  rapidly,  and  to  an  immense  height.  It 
flowers  in  pairs  and  threes  all  up  the  branches,  covering  the 
whole  plant  completely  with  flowers.  It  blossoms  in  Spring 
and  Autumn,  and  is  a  very  valuable  acquisition  to  our  gar- 
dens and  shrubberies. 

Lonicera  Japonica,  or  Japan  honeysuckle.  This  bears 
flowers  in  great  profusion,  which  are  white,  afterwards  be- 
coming of  a  light  yellow.  It  is  not  so  hardy  as  the 
Chinese,  and  requires  a  little  protection  in  the  Winter. 

Passiflora,  or  Passion  Vine.  There  are  several  hardy 
species,  but  the  best  is  the  Passiflora  incarnata  ;  this,  al- 
though it  dies  to  the  ground  every  Winter,  will,  during  the 
Summer,  grow  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet,  and  yield  abun- 
dance of  beautiful  purple  flowers. 

Periplaca  grceca,  or  Silk  Vine.  A  prolific  climber,  wood 
slender,  twining  and  elastic,  leaves  smooth,  ovate,  lanceolate. 
Established  plants  will  grow  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  one  season, 
and  yield  flowers  in  clusters,  of  a  brownish  yellow  colour, 
from  May  to  July. 

I  shall  only  add  to  the  above,  the  running  kinds  of  roses; 
although  there  are  many  other  things  which  might  be  men- 
tioned. 

Rosa  multiflora,  from  China,  is  pretty  well  known,  pro- 
ducing thousands  of  small  double  red  roses  in  bunches.  It 
requires  a  sheltered  situation  from  some  of  our  keen  north- 
westers. Rosa  multiflora  alba,  from  the  same  country,  is  of 
late  importation,  but  as  it  increases  readily,  may  be  ob- 
tained at  about  the  same  price  as  the  former;  the  bunches, 
of  flowers  are  white.      Rosa  Grivellist  a  running  rose,  also 


PROPAGATION    OF    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  47 

from  China,  the  flowers  ofvarious  colours.  Rosa  rubifolia, 
Raspberry-leaved  rose,  from  our  Northern  frontiers,  and 
extending  over  the  Western  country ;  although  a  single 
flowering  rose,  it  produces  large  bunches  of  flowers,  which 
are  differently  coloured  on  the  same  bunch,  exactly  like  the 
former  China  kind,  and  is  another  instance  of  the  similarity 
of  plants,  natives  of  China,  and  our  country. 

Rosa  canina,fl.  phno.  English  double  dog  rose,  is  a  very 
pretty  little  double  rose,  and  will  run  to  a  great  height. 
Rosa  Banksii,  Lady  Banks'  double  white  China  running 
rose  ;  it  runs  up  and  spreads  much — it  may  be  easily  known 
from  others  of  the  running  roses,  by  its  being  entirely  des- 
titute of  prickles.  Rosa  Noisette,  and  Champney's,  are 
said  to  have  been  raised  from  China  seeds  in  Carolina — 
they  are  not  strictly  running  roses,  but  as  they  grow  up  tall, 
are  fine  ornaments  for  the  shrubbery,  flowering  during  the 
whole  of  the  Summer  and  Autumn,  in  large  clusters.  The 
Maderia  rose,  or  double  white  cluster,  musk,  flowers  through- 
out the  Summer  and  Autumn  months,  and  is  therefore  well 
adapted  for  the  shrubbery.  Rosa  Cherokc?isis,  called  the 
nondescript,  or  Georgia  rose — the  flowers  are  very  large 
being  white,  with  yellow  centre.  This  is  a  running  rose 
growing  very  high  around  trees,  &c. 

Rosa  rubiginosa,  or  Sweetbriar,   is  too  well  known  to 
need  description. 


PROPAGATION 

OP 

we*© wmiEn^®  smmwigSo 


Flowering  shrubs  are  variously  propagated  by  slips,  cut- 
tings, layers,  suckers,  buds  or  scions;  and  these  may  be  thus 
defined, 


4S  PROPAGATION    OF    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS. 

1.  Slips  are  simply  small  branches,  slipped  down  from 
the  side  of  a  large  branch,  or  from  the  main  stem.  These 
should  be  taken  from  the  parent  plants,  carefully,  so  as  to 
leave  an  eye  or  heel,  at  the  lower  or  but-end. 

2.  Cuttings  should  be  made  from  shoots  or  stalks  of  a 
prior  year's  growth  ;  and  such  should  be  selected  as  are  well 
ripened,  having  their  joints  not  far  apart  :  they  may  be  cut 
so  as  So  have  three  or  four  joints  in  each  cutting.  In  some 
species  of  succulent  plants,  the  joints  being  near  together, 
cuttings  need  not  be  more  than  from  four  to  six  inches  long; 
but  shrubby  plants  in  general  wiil  admit  of  their  being  from 
ten  to  twelve  inches. 

3.  Layers  differ  from  cuttings  in  nothing,  except  that  they 
strike  root  into  the  soil,  while  yet  adhering  to  the  parent 
plant. 

4.  Suckers  are  in  reality  young  plants,  connected  to  the 
parent  at  the  root,  which  should  be  carefully  separated  in 
Spring  or  Autumn,  and  transplanted  in  the  same  manner  as 
plants  raised  by  any  other  method  ;  either  in  a  Nursery  bed, 
Shrubbery,  or  Flower  border. 

5.  Scions  are  of  two  sorts;  scions  properly  so  called,  and 
buds.  A  scion  is  a  cutting,  or  portion  of  a  plant,  which  is 
caused  to  grow  upon  another  plant,  from  which  it  attracts 
fluid  for  the  nourishment  of  its  leaf  buds  ;  these  thus  fed, 
gradually  grow  upwards  into  branches,  and  send  woody 
matter  downwards,  so  as  to  become  connected  with  the  stock 
grafted  on. 

The  business  of  planting  slips,  cuttings,  Sec.  of  the  tender 
kinds  into  nursery  pots,  and  the  hardy  kinds  into  borders,  is 
generally  performed  in  Spring  and  Autumn  ;  there  are, 
however,  some  exceptions  to  this  rule,  which  will  be  ex- 
plained hereafter.     See  Calendar  and  Index. 

For  the  purpose  of  raising  hardy  flowering  shrubs  by 
slips  or  cuttings,  let  a  border  be  prepared  in  a  shaded  and 
sheltered  situation,  by  manuring  and  deep  digging.  Provide 
plants  about  a  foot  long,  and  insert  them  into  the  ground, 


PROPAGATION  OF  ORNAMENTAL  SHRUBS.  49 

full  one-third  of  their  length  ;  the  rows  may  be  about  two 
feet  apart,  and  the  plants  nine  inches  from  each  oHier  in  the 
rows.  Press  the  ground  around  the  stems,  and  rake  it 
smooth.  The  after  management  of  nursery  beds  made  in 
Spring,  is  to  keep  them  watered  in  dry  weather,  also  to  hoe 
them  occasionally,  and  by  Autumn  the  plants  will  be  rooted. 

In  cold  climates,  plantations  made  in  Autumn,  should 
be  protected  by  a  covering  of  leaves,  straw  or  Jitter,  merely 
sufficient  to  screen  the  plants  from  wind  and  the  sun's  rays 
in  time  of  freezing,  the  heat  of  the  Sun  being  more  destruc- 
tive to  vegetation  in  Winter  than  the  cold  weather. 

To  increase  flowering  shrubs,  rose  bushes,  or  any  other 
plants  by  layers,  dig  the  ground  about  the  plants  to  be 
operated  on  to  a  good  depth  ;  then  with  a  sharp  knife  cut 
between  two  joints  half  through  the  stalk  or  branch, and  turn- 
ing the  edge  of  the  knife  upwards,  make  a  slit  past  the  first 
joint  to  the  middle  between  it  and  the  next  above  ;  make  a 
hollow  in  the  ground  and  insert  the  cut  part  from  one  to  three 
inches  deep,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  plant  operated 
on,  keeping  the  branch  perpendicular,  and  the  slit  open; 
Each  layer  should  be  pegged  down  with  a  hooked  stick, 
made  from  small  branches  of  trees,  to  keep  it  in  its  proper 
position,  as  well  as  to  prevent  the  cut  part  from  uniting, 
whence  the  roots  form  for  the  young  plants. 

Budding,  grafting,  and  inarching,  is  often  practised  on 
shrubs,  with  a  view  to  perpetuate  improved  varieties.  Bud- 
ding may  be  performed  on  roses  of  different  descriptions,  as 
the  White  Moss,  Unique,  Tuscany,  and  other  fine  varieties  ; 
upon  such  wild  kinds  as  are  of  a  strong  habit.  The  best 
time  for  performing  the  operation,  is  towards  the  end  of  July 
or  early  in  August,  as  the  buds  are  then  generally  matured 
so  that  the  bark  parts  freely  from  the  wood,  which  is  essen- 
tial to  the  successful  accomplishment  ofthe  business. 

Grafting  is  generally  performed  in  the  Spring.  There 
are  many  methods  practised  on  trees,  as  cleft  grafting,  whip 
grafting,  saddle  grafting,  side  grafting,  root  grafting,  inarch- 

5 


50  PROPAGATION    OF    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS. 

ing-  or  grafting  by  approach,  &c.  which  methods  are  titl  fully 
explained  under  the  head  of  "Budding  and  Grafting,"  in  the 
fruit  department.  I  shall,  however,  here  present  a  short 
view  of  the  mode  best  adapted  for  shrubs. 

Scallop  budding  is  performed  by  cutting  from  a  small 
stock  a  thin  narrow  scallop  of  wood,  about  an  inch  in 
length,  and  taking  from  the  chosen  twig,  a  thin  scallop  of 
wood  of  the  same  dimensions  :  this  is  instantly  applied,  and 
fitted  perfectly  at  top  and  bottom,  and  as  nearly  as  possible 
on  its  sides,  and  firmly  bound  with  bass  matting.  Tins  may 
be  performed  in  Spring,  and  if  it  fails,  it  may  be  done  again 
in  the  month  of  July.  The  French  practise  this  mode  on 
Roses. 

The  most  simple  method  of  grafting  is,  to  cut  off  the 
stock  in  a  wedge-like  manner  ;  then  prepare  one  of  the  grafts 
with  three  or  four  eyes ;  proceed  to  cut  a  slit  in  it  upwards, 
and  thrust  it  on  the  stock,  taking  care  to  join  the  bark  of  each 
together;  tie  them  firmly  together  with  bass,  and  immediately 
cover  the  grafted  part  with  clay  and  horse  dung  mixed ; 
which  being  well  prepared,  should  be  closed  securely  round 
the  graft  in  an  oval  form, 

Inarching,  or  grafting  by  approach  may  be  thus  performed. 
The  shrubs  to  be  grafted  must  be  growing  very  near  to  those 
which  are  to  furnish  the  grafts  ;  a  branch  of  each  must 
then  be  prepared  by  making  a  long  sloping  cut  nearly  to  its 
centre  ;  the  twain  must  be  brought  together,  and  secured 
by  a  bandage  of  matting,  so  that  the  bark  may  meet  as 
nearly  as  possible.  The  graft  may  then  be  covered  with  clay 
composition  ;  and  when  a  complete  union  has  taken  place, 
the  plants  may  be  separated  with  a  sharp  knife,  by  cutting 
off  below  the  junction. 

As  the  above  directions  are  applicable  to  the  propagation, 
and  management  of  Greenhouse  tender,  and  half  hardy 
plants,  as  well  as  to  hardy  shrubs  and  vines  ;  it  may  be  ne- 
cessary here  to  remind  the  reader,  that  delicate  roses  and 
half-hardy  woody  plants  left  out  during  the  Winter,  should  be 


PROPAGATION    OF    ORNAMENTAL    SHRUBS.  51 

protected  either  by  bending  down  the  branches  and  covering 
them  with  soil,  or  by  tying  them  up  to  stakes,  and  binding 
straw  snugly  around  them.  At  the  same  time  throw  some 
dung  on  the  ground  about  the  roots  ;  the  longest  of  which 
may  be  raked  off  on  the  approach  of  Spring,  and  the  shortest 
forked  in,  so  as  to  manure  the  plants,  and  thus  give  vigour 
to  their   rising  shoots. 

Deciduous  shrubs  may  be  transplanted  at  any  time  after 
they  lose  their  leaves,  and  before  the  buds  begin  to  expand  in 
Spring,  provided  the  ground  can  be  brought  into  good  con- 
dition to  receive  them  ;  the  holes  should  be  dug  capacious 
enough  to  held  the  roots  without  cramping  them,  and  some 
earth,  well  pulverized,  must  be  thrown  equally  among  the 
fibres  of  the  roots,  which  should  be  well  shaken,  and  the 
earth  trodden  down  around  the  plants,  until  brought  to  the 
level  required.  Evergreens  should  be  removed  carefully 
with  a  ball  of  earth  connected  with  their  roots,  and  some 
good  mould  should  be  provided  to  fill  in  with. 

The  Spring  pruning  of  shrubs  and  vines  should  be  attended 
to  before  the  buds  begin  to  rise  ;  say  March  in  the  Northern 
States,  and  January  in  the  South.  In  performing  this  busi- 
ness, use  a  sharp  knife,  in  order  that  all  amputations  and 
wounds  be  cut  and  pared  smooth,  and  in  a  slanting  manner. 
Divest  the  plants  of  all  dead  wood,  superfluous  branches,  and 
those  which  cross  each  other.  Regulate  the  plantation  in 
such  manner,  that  the  natural  form  and  habit  of  each  plant 
be  retained  as  much  as  possible,  and  train  the  branches  so 
that  the  Sun  can  have  free  access  to  every  part  ;  bearing  in 
mind  the  hints  thrown  out  in  the  introduction  to  our  Cata- 
logue. Some  shrubs  and  vines  will  need  a  Summer  pruning, 
merely  to  thin  cut  young  shoots,  superfluous  wood,  &c.  and 
to  train  straggling  branches. 


52 


BEAUTIES   OF  APRIL  AND  MAY. 


The  following  article  is  submitted,  as  being  well  calcu- 
lated to  afford  amateurs  mental  recreation,  while  engaged 
in  rural  pursuits  ;  and  it  is  presumed  that  the  practical 
gardener  will  not  view  the  insertion  of  this  article  as  a 
digression,  as  it  exhibits  the  beauty  arid  order  of  the  flowery 
tribe  in  propitious  climates,  or  when  cultivated  at  the  proper 
season,  in  a  truly  appropriate  and  amusing  light. 

APRIL. 

"Descend,  sweet  April,  from  yon  watery  bow, 
And  liberal  strew  the  ground  with  budding  flowers, 
With  leafless  Crocus,  leaf-veiled  Violet, 
Auricula,  with  powdered  cup.  Primrose 
That  loves  to  lurk  below  the  Hawthorn  shade." 

It  is  generally  admitted,  that  the  month  of  April  gives  the 
most  perfect  image  of  Spring;  for  its  vicissitudes  of  warm 
gleams  of  sunshine  and  gentle  showers,  have  the  most  pow- 
erful effect  in  hastening  the  universal  springing  of  the  vege- 
table tribes,  from  whence  the  season  derives  its  appellation. 
Next  comes  the  favourite  month  of  the  year,  in  poetical 
description, 

MAY. 

"For  thee,  sweet  month,  the  groves  green  liv'ries  wear; 
If  not  the  first,  the  fairest  in  the  year  ; 
Thou  dost  afford  us  many  pleasant  hours, 
While  Nature's  ready  pencil  paints  the  flowers.'' 

The  pious  Hervey,  in  his  Meditations  on  the  Flower  Gar- 
den, has  furnished  us  many  sublime  ideas  respecting  the 
order,  variety,  and  beauty   of  the   flowery  tribe.*     It  is  in 

*Those  who  have  read  Hervey  "s  Meditations  on  the  Flower  Garden, 
will  discover  that  the  .pious  author's  phraseology,  and  several  of  his 
sublime  iden.^;.  are  interspersed  through  this  article,  which,  from  being 
blended  v  ith  other  matter,  could  not  be  designated  in  the  customary  way. 


THE    BEAUTIES  OF  APRIL  AND  MAY.  53 

vain  to  attempt  a  catalogue  of  those  amiable  gifts.  There 
is  an  endless  multiplicity  in  their  characters,  yet  an  inva- 
riable order  in  their  approaches.  Every  month,  almost  every 
week,  has  its  peculiar  ornaments  ;  not  servilely  copying  the 
works  of  its  predecessors,  but  forming,  still  forming,  and 
still  executing,  some  new  design  ;  so  lavis-h  is  the  fancy,  yet 
so  exact  is  the  process  of  Nature.  Were  all  the  flowery 
tribe  to  exhibit  themselves  at  one  particular  season,  there 
would  be  at  once  a  promiscuous  throng,  and  at  once  a  total 
privation. 

We  should  scarcely  have  an  opportunity  of  adverting  to 
the  dainty  qualities  of  half,  and  must  soon  lose  the  agreeable 
company  of  them  all.  But  now,  since  every  species  has  a 
separate  post  to  occupy,  and  a  distinct  interval  for  appearing, 
we  can  take  a  leisurely  and  minute  survey  of  each  succeed- 
ing set.  We  can  view  and  review  their  forms,  enter  into  a 
more  intimate  acquaintance  with  their  charming  accom- 
plishments, and  receive  all  those  pleasing  sensations  which 
they  are  calculated  to  yield. 

Before  the  trees  have  ventured  to  unfold  their  leaves,  and 
while  the  icicles  are  pendant  on  our  houses,  the  Snow-drop 
breaks  her  way  through  the  frozen  soil,  fearless  of  danger. 
Next  peeps  out  the  Crocus,  but  cautiously  and  wiih  an  air 
of  timidity.  She  shuns  the  howling  blasts,  and  cleaves 
closely  to  her  humble  situation.  Nor  is  the  Violet  last  in 
the  shining  embassy,  which,  with  all  the  embellishments 
that  would  grace  a  royal  garden,  condescends  to  line  our 
borders,  and  bloom  at  the  feet  of  briars.  Freely  she  distri- 
butes the  bounty  of  her  emissive  sweets,  while  herself  retires 
from  sight,  seeking  rather  to  administer  pleasure  than  to 
win  admiration.  Emblem,  expressive  emblem,  of  those 
modest  virtues  which  delight  to  bloom  in  obscurity.  There 
are  several  kinds  of  Violets,  but  the  fragrant,  both  blue  and 
white,  are  the  earliest.  Shakspeare  compares  an  exquisitely 
sweet  strain  of  music  to  the  delicious  scent  of  this  flower: 

''Oh  !  it  came  o'er  my  ear  like  the  sweet  South, 
That  breathes  upon  a  bank  of  Violets, 

5* 


54  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  APRIL  AND  MAT. 

The  pious  Hervey,  in  his  admonitions  to  those  who 
indulge  in  sloth,  has  thrown  out  the  following  sublime  ideas: 
What  sweets  are  those  which  so  agreeably  salute  my  nos- 
trils'? They  are  the  breath  of  the  flowers,  the  incense  of 
the  gardens.  How  liberally  does  the  Jasmine  dispense  her 
odoriferous  riches  !  How  deliciousiy  has  the  Woodbine 
embalmed  this  morning  walk  !  The  air  is  all  perfume. 
And  is  not  this  another  most  engaging  argument  to  forsake 
the  bed  of  sloth  1  Who  would  be  involved  in  senseless 
slumbers,  while  so  many  breathing  sweets  invite  him  to  a 
feast  of  fragrancy — especially  considering  that  the  advan- 
cing day  will  exhale  the  volatile  dainties?  A  fugitive  treat 
they  are,  prepared  only  for  the  wakeful  and  industrious. 
"Whereas,  when  the  sluggard  lifts  his  heavy  eyes,  the  flowers 
will  droop,  their  fine  sweets  be  dissipated,  and  instead  of 
this  refreshing  humidity,  the  air  will  become  a  kind  of  liquid 
fire." 

With  this  very  motive,  heightened  by  a  representation  of 
the  most  charming  pieces  of  morning  scenery,  the  parent  of 
mankind  awakes  his  lovely  consort.  There  is  such  a  deli- 
cacy in  the  choice,  aud  so  much  life  in  the  description  of 
these  rural  images,  that  I  cannot  excuse  myself  wi  bout 
repeating  the  whole  passage.  Whisper  it,  some  friendly 
genius,  in  the  ear  of  every  one,  who  is  now  sunk  in  s^ep, 
and  lost  to  all  these  refined  gratifications  ! 

"  Awake  !  the  morning  shines,  and  the  fresh  field- 
Calls  you:  ye  lose  the  prime,  to  mark  how  spring 
The  tended  plants,  how  blows  the  Chron  grove.; 
What  drops  the  Myrrh,  and  what  the  balmy  Heed  ; 
How  Nature  paints  her  colours;  how  the  bee 
Sits  on  the  bloom,  extracting  liquid  sweets." 

How  delightful  is  this  fragrance  !  It  is  distributed  in 
the  nicest  proportion  ;  neither  so  strong  as  to  oppress  the 
organs,  nor  so  faint  as  to  elude  them.  We  are  soon  cloyed 
at  a  sumptuous  banquet  ]   but  this  pleasure  never  loses  its 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  Al'RIL  AND  MAY.  55 

poignancy,  never  palls  the  appetite.  Here  luxury  itself  is 
innocence  ;  or  rather  in  this  case,  indulgence  is  incapable  of 
excess.  This  balmy  entertainment  not  only  regales  the 
sense,  but  cheers  the  very  soul ;  and,  instead  of  clogging, 
elates  its  powers. 

"  The  soft  green  grass  is  growing 

O'er  meadow  and  o'er  dale  ; 
The  silvery  founts  are  flowing 

Upon  the  verdant  vale; 
The  pale  Snow-drop  is  springing 

To  greet  the  glowing  Sun  ; 
The  Primrose  sweet  is  flinging 

Perfume  the  fields  along  ; 
The  trees  are  in  their  blossom, 

The  birds  are  in  their  song  ; 
As  Spring  upon  the  bosom 

Of  Nature's  borne  along." 

"So  the  dawn  of  human  life 

Doth  green  ;ind  verdant  spring  : 
It  doth  little  ween  the  strife — 
Like  the  Snow-drop  it  is  lair, 

An  i  like  the  Primrose  sweet, 
But  its  innocence  can't  scare 
The  blight  from  its  retreat." 

Our  subject  is  so  enchanting,  that  we  had  inadvertently 
wandered  from  the  path  we  first  entered.  We  now  retrace 
our  steps,  and  take  a  glance  at  surrounding  objects.  The 
fields  look  green  with  the  springing  grass.  See  the  Daffodil 
how  it  spreads  itself  to  the  wind  !  The  leaves  of  Honey- 
suckles begin  to  expand,  and  Lilacs,  or  Syringas,  of  various 
hues,  unfold  their  buds.  The  Almond  exhibits  its  rosy 
cluslers,  and  the  Corchorus  its  golden  balls.  Many  of  the 
lowlier  plants  exhibit  their  yellow  and  purple  colours,  and 
the  buds  of  Lilies,  and  other  Perennial  plants,  prepare 
to  show  themselves.  If  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  orchard, 
we  behold  the  Apricots,  Nectarines,  and  Peaches,  lead  the 


56  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  APRIL  AND  MAY. 

way  in  blossoming,  which  are  followed  by  the  Cherry  and 
the  Plum.  These  form  a  most  agreeable  spectacle,  as  well 
on  account  of  their  beauty  as  of  the  promise  they  give  of 
future  benefits.  It  is,  however,  an  anxious  time  for  the 
possessor,  as  the  fairest  prospect  of  a  plentiful  increase 
is  often  blighted.  Shakspeare  draws  a  pathetic  comparison 
from  this  circumstance,  of  the  delusive  nature  of  human 
expectations : 

"This  is  the  state  of  man  ;  to-day  he  puts  forth 
The  tender  leaves  of  hope;  to-morrow  blossoms, 
And  bears  his  blushing  honors  thick  upon  him  ; 
The  third  day  comes  a  frost,  a  killing  frost, 
And  nips  his  root.'' 

But  we  now  return  to  the  garden.  Before  we  have  time 
to  explore  Nature's  treasures,  many  disappear  ;  among  these 
are  the  humble  Daisy,  which  shrinks  from  the  intense  heat, 
and  the  several  varieties  of  Primulas  or  early  spring  flowers. 
The  various  grades  of  Polyanthus  deserve  a  close  inspec- 
tion ;  these,  for  a  while,  exhibit  their  sparkling  beauties,  but 
alas  !  soon  disappear.  Scarcely  have  we  sustained  this  loss, 
but  in  comes  the  Auricula,  and  more  than  retrieves  it.  Ar- 
rayed she  comes  in  a  splendid  variety  of  amiable  forms, 
with  an  eye  of  crystal,  and  garments  of  the  most  glossy 
satin.  A  very  distinguished  procession  this !  The  favorite 
care  of  the  florist,  but  these  also  soon  disappear.  Who 
could  forbear  grieving  at  their  departure,  did  not  the  various 
sorts  of  bulbous  flowers  burst  their  bands  asunder,  or  rather 
expand  so  as  to  exhibit  their  fragrance  and  beauty. 

"Fair-handed  Spring 
Throws  out  the  Snow-drop  and  the  Crocus  first, 
The  Daisy,  Primrose,  Violet  darkly  blue, 
And  Polyanthus  with  unumbered  dyes. 
Then  comes  the  Auricula,  enriched  with  shining  meal, 
O'er  all  their  velvet  leaves." 

While  we  reluctantly  dispense  with  the  sweet  perfumes  of 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  APRIL  AND  MAY.  57 

the  Hyacinth  and  Narcissus,  we  behold  the  Tulips  begin  to 
raise  themselves  on  their  fine  wands  or  stately  stalks.  They 
flush  the  parterre  with  one  of  the  gayest  dresses  that  bloom- 
ing Nature  wears.  Here  one  may  behold  the  innocent 
wantonness  of  beauty.  Here  she  indulges  a  thousand  freaks, 
and  sports  herself  in  the  most  charming  diversity  of  colours. 
In  a  grove  of  Tulips,  or  a  bed  of  Pinks,  one  perceives  a 
difference  in  almost  every  individual.  Scarcely  any  two 
are  turned  and  tinted  exactly  alike.  What  colours,  what 
colours  are  here  !  these  so  nobly  bold,  and  those  so  deli- 
cately languid! 

What  a  glow  is  enkindled  in  some  !  what  a  gloss  shines 
upon  others!  With  what  a  masterly  skill  is  every  one  of 
the  varying  tints  disposed  !  Here  they  seem  to  be  thrown 
on  with  an  easy  dash  of  security  and  freedom;  there  they 
are  adjusted  by  the  nicest  touches  of  art  and  accuracy. 
Those  colours  which  form  the  ground  are  always  so  judi- 
ciously chosen,  as  to  heighten  the  lustre  of  the  superadded 
figures;  while  the  verdure  of  the  impalement,  or  shadings 
of  the  foliage,  impart  new  liveliness  to  the  whole.  Fine, 
inimitably  tine,  is  the  texture  of  the  web  on  which  these 
shining  treasures  are  displayed.  What  are  the  labours  of 
the  Persian  looms  ;  what  all  the  gay  attire  which  the  shuttle 
or  the  needle  can  furnish,  compared  with  Nature's  works? 
One  cannot  forbear  reflection  in  this  place,  on  the  too  pre- 
vailing humour  of  being  fond  and  ostentatious  of  dress. 
What  an  abject  and  mistaken  ambition  is  this  !  How  un- 
worthy the  dignity  of  man,  and  the  wisdom  of  rational 
beings  !  Especially  since  these  little  productions  of  the 
earth  have  indisputably  the  pre-eminence  in  such  outward 
embellishments. 

"Bright  tulips,  we  do  know, 

Ye  had  y-  nr  coming  hither, 
And  fading  time  doth  show, 

That  ye  must  quickly  wither. 


58  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  APRIL  AND  MAY. 

Your  sistet  hood  may  stay, 

And  smile  here  for  an  hour, 
But  ye  must  quickly  die  away, 

E'en  as  the  meanest  flower. 

Come  virgins,  then,  and  see 

Your  frailties,  and  bemoan  ye; 
For  lost  like  these, —  twill  be 

As  time  had  never  known  ye." 

But  let  us  not  forget  the  fragrant,  the  very  fragrant  Wall 
and  Gilli-flowers  ;  some  of  these  regale  us  with  their  per- 
fumes through  various  vicissitudes  and  alternations  of  the 
season,  while  others  make  a  transient  visit  only. 

"  I  love  thee,  lone  and  pensive  flower, 

Because  thou  dost  not  flaunt  thy  bloom 
In  pleasure's  gay  and  garnish'd  bower, 

Or  luxury's  proud  banquet  room; 
But  on  the  silent  mouldering  wall 

Thy  clinging  leaves  a  fragrance  shed, 
Or  give  to  the  deserted  hall 

A  relic  of  its  glories  fkd. 

These  wreaths,  in  vivid  freshness  bright, 

Metbinks  the  fluttering  herd  portray, 
Who  bask  on  fortune's  golden  light, 

And  wanton  in  her  joyous  way; 
But  thou  art  like  that  gentle  love, 

Which  blooms  when  friends  and  fame  have  pass'd, 
Towers  the  dark  wreck  of  hope  above, 
And  smiles  through  ruin  to  the  last." 

In  favoured  climates  arises  the  Anemone,  encircled  at 
the  bottom  with  a  spreading  robe,  and  rounded  at  the  top 
into  a  beautiful  dome.  In  its  loosely-flowing  mantle,  you 
may  observe  a  noble  negligence  ;  in  its  gently -bending  tufts 
the  nicest  symmetry.  This  may  be  termed  the  fine  gentle- 
man of  the  garden,  because  it  seems  to  possess  the  means 
of  uniting  simplicity  and  refinement,  of  reconciling  art  and 
ease,.     The  same  month  has  the   merit  of  producing  the 


THE  BEAUTIES  OP  APRIL  AND  MAY.  59 

Ranunculus.  All  bold  and  graceful,  it  expands  the  riches 
of  its  foliage,  and  acquires  by  degrees  the  loveliest  enamel 
in  the  world.  As  persons  of  intrinsic  worth  disdain  the 
superficial  arts  of  recommendation  practised  by  fops,  so  this 
lordly  flower  scorns  to  borrow  any  of  its  excellencies  from 
powders  and  essences.  It  needs  no  such  attractions  to 
render  it  the  darling  of  the  curious,  being  sufficiently  enga- 
ging from  the  elegance  of  its  figure,  the  radiant  variety  of  its 
tinges,  and  a  certain  superior  dignity  of  aspect. 

JUNE. 

"  Now  have  young  April,  and  the  blue-eyed  May, 
Vanished  awhile,  and  lo  !  the  glorious  June 
While  Nature  ripens  in  his  burning  noon>) 
Comes  like  a  young  inheritor." 

I  had  intended  to  confine  our  meditations  to  the  beauties 
of  April  and  May,  but  Nature  seems  to  improve  in  her 
operations.  Her  latest  strokes  are  the  most  masterly.  To 
crown  the  collection,  she  introduces  the  Carnation,  which 
captivates  our  eyes  with  a  noble  spread  of  graces,  and 
charms  another  sense  with  a  profusion  of  exquisite  odours. 
This  single  flower  has  centered  in  itself  the  perfection  of  all 
the  preceding.  The  moment  it  appears,  it  so  commands 
our  attention,  that  we  scarcely  regret  the  absence  of  the  rest. 

"Maternal  Flora,  with  benignant  hand,  ' 
Her  flowers  profusely  scatters  o'er  the  land : 
These  deck  the  vallies  with  unnumber'd  hues, 
And  far  around  their  pregnant  sweets  diffuse ; 
The  broad  carnations,  gay  and  spotted  Pinks, 
Are  shower  d  profuse  along  the  rivers'  brinks," 

The  field  we  have  entered  is  so  extensive  and  so  enchant- 
ing, that  we  cannot  extricate  ourselves,  without  taking  a 
cursory  glance  at  the  airs  and  habits,  the  attitude  and  linea- 
ments, of  each  distinct  class.     See  the  Paionia  of  China, 


60  THE  BEAUTIES  OP  APRIL  AND  MAY. 

splendid  and  beautifully  grand!  View  the  charming  Rose, 
delicate  and  languish  in  gly  fair!  and  while  you  inhale  its 
balmy  sweetness,  you  will  be  constrained  to  admire  it,  not- 
withstanding its  thorny  appendages. 

"  Rose !  thou  art  the  sweetest  flower 
That  ever  drank  the  amber  shower; 
Rose  I  thou  art  the  fondest  child 
Of  dimpled  Spring  !  the  wood-nymph  wild  ! 
Resplendant  Ro-e  !  the  flower  of  flowers, 
Whose  breath  perfumes  Olympus'  bowers ; 
Whose  virgin  blush,  of  chasten'd  dye, 
Enchants  so  much  our  mental  eye." 

Behold  all  the  pomp  and  glory  of  the  parterre,  where 
Nature's  paint  and  perfume  do  wonders.  Some  rear  their 
heads  as  with  a  majestic  mien,  and  overlook,  like  sovereigns 
or  nobles,  the  whole  parterre.  Others  seem  more  modest 
in  their  aims,  and  advance  only  to  the  middle  stations  ;  a 
genius  turned  for  heraldry  might  term  them  the  gentry  of 
the  border  ;  while  others,  free  from  all  aspiring  airs,  creep 
unambitiously  on  the  ground,  and  lock  like  the  commonalty 
of  the  kind.  Some  are  intersected  with  elegant  stripes,  or 
studded  with  radiant  spots.  Some  affect  to  be  genteelly 
powdered,  or  neatly  fringed  ;  while  others  are  plain  in  their 
aspect,  unaffected  in  their  dress,  and  content  to  please  with 
a  naked  simplicity.  Some  assume  the  monarch's  purple  ; 
some  look  most  becoming  in  the  virgin's  white  ;  but  black, 
doleful  black,  has  no  admittance  into  the  wardrobe  of  Spring. 
The  weeds  of  mourning  would  be  a  manifest  indecorum, 
when  Nature  holds  an  universal  festival.  She  would  now 
inspire  none  but  delightful  ideas,  and  therefore  always  makes 
her  appearance  in  some  amiable  suit.  Here  stands  a  war- 
rior clad  with  crimson  ;  there  sits  a  magistrate  robed  in 
scarlet ;  and  yonder  strusts  a  pretty  fellow,  that  seems  to 
have  dipped  his  plumes  in  the  rainbow,  and  glitters  in  all 
the  gay  colours  of  that  resplendent  arch.     Some  rise  into  a 


61  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  APKIL  AND  MAT. 

curious  cup,  or  fall  into  a  set  of  beautiful  bells.  Others  spread 
themselves  in  a  swelling  tuft,  or  crowd  into  a  delicious 
cluster.  In  some  the  predominant  stain  softens  by  the 
gentlest  diminutions,  till  it  has  even  stolen  away  from  itsel£ 
The  eye  is  amused  at  the  agreeable  delusion,  and  we  wonder 
to  find  ourselves  insensibly  decoyed  into  quite  a  different 
lustre.  In  others  one  would  think  the  fine  tinges  were 
emulous  of  pre-eminence  ;  disdaining  to  mingle,  they  con- 
front one  another  with  the  resolution  of  rivals,  determined 
to  dispute  the  prize  of  beauty;  while  each  is  improved,  by  the 
opposition,  into  the  highest  vivacity  of  complexion. 

"Mrs.  Preony  came  in  quite  late  in  a  heat, 

With  the  Ice-plant,  dew-spangled  from  forehead  to  feet ; 

Lobelia,  attired  like  a  queen  in  her  pride, 

And  Dahlias,  with  trimmings  new  furbish'd  and  dyed, 

And  the  Blue-bells,  and  Hare-bells  in  simple  array, 

With  all  their  Scotch  cousins  from  highland  and  brae, 

Ragged  Ladies  and  Marigolds  clustered  together, 

And  gossip'd  of  scandal,  the  news,  and  the  weather ; 

What  dresses  were  worn  at  the  wedding  so  fine 

Of  sharp  Mrs,  Thistle,  and  sweet  Columbine." 


6 


62 
OBSERVATIONS 

ON    THE 

CULTIVATION  OF  BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS-ROOTED 

PLANTS. 


These  plants  exhibit  a  striking  variety  of  the  beauties  of 
Nature.  It  would  seem  as  if  every  change  she  was  capable 
of  forming,  was  included  in  the  radiant  colours  of  the  Tulip. 
Never  was  a  cup  either  painted  or  enamelled  with  such  a 
profusion  of  tints.  Its  stripes  are  so  glowing,  its  contrasts 
so  strong,  and  the  arrangement  of  them  both  so  elegant  and 
artful,  that  it  may,  with  propriety,  be  denominated  the 
reigning  beauty  of  the  garden  in  its  season.  The  Hyacinth 
is  also  an  estimable  flower  for  its  blooming  complexion,  as 
well  as  for  its  most  agreeable  perfume  and  variety. 

"The  Hyacinth,  purple,  white,  aud  blue, 
Which  flung  from  its  bells  a  sweet  peal  anew, 
Of  music  so  delicate,  soft,  intense,'; 
It  was  felt  like  an  odour  within  the  sense." 

The  Double  Dahlia,  in  its  numerous  varieties,  is  incon- 
ceivably splendid.  It  is  only  about  forty  years  since  the 
first  of  these,  which  was  single,  was  introduced  into  Europe 
from  Mexico. 

Double  Dahlias  of  three  colours,  were  first  known  in  the 
year  1802,  since  that  time  the  varieties  have  so  increased, 
that  such  as  a  few  years  ago  were  considered  beautiful,  are 
now  thrown  away  to  give  place  to  the  more  splendid  sorts. 
f  have  good  authority  for  stating,  that  upwards  of  twenty 
thousand  seedlings  are  raised  yearly  in  England,  only  a 
few  of  which  are  introduced  into  the  collections  of  amateurs, 
to  take  the  place  of  such  old  sorts  as  may  from  time  to  time 
be  rejected.  This  is  done,  in  order  that  none  but  the  very 
choicest  be  retained  in  such  collections. 


BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS-ROOTED  PLANTS.  63 

In  some  gardens  in  Holland  they  cultivate;  by  distinct 
names,  about  eleven  hundred  varieties  of  Tulips,  thirteen 
hundred  of  Hyacinths,  and  six  hundred  of  Ranunculuses 
and  Anemones,  some  of  which  are  sold  as  high  as  sixty 
dollars  the  single  root.  It  is  stated  in  the  travels  of  Mr. 
Dutens,  of  his  having  known  ten  thousand  florins,  equal  to 
$4000,  refused  for  a  single  Hyacinth  ;  and  Dodsley  says, 
in  his  Annual  Register  for  1765,  that  the  Dutch  of  all 
ranks,  from  the  greatest  to  the  meanest,  during  the  years 
from  1634  to  1637  inclusive,  neglected  their  business  to  en- 
gage in  the  Tulip  trade.  Accordingly  in  those  days,  the 
Viceroy  was  sold  for  £250,  the  Admiral  Lief  keens  £440, 
and  Semper  Augustus  at  from  £500  to  £1000  each  ;  and 
also  that  a  collection  of  Tulips  was  sold  by  the  executors  of 
one  Wouter  Broekholsmentser  for  £9000.  It  is  stated  that 
in  one  city  in  Holland,  in  the  space  of  three  years,  they  had 
traded  for  a  million  sterling  in  Tulips. 

As  a  full  catalogue  of  all  the  varieties  of  bulbous  and 
tuberous-rooted  plants  would  occupy  a  number  of  pages, 
without  affording  much  general  interest,  I  shall  content 
myself  by  devoting  a  short  paragraph  in  describing  some  of 
each  particular  species,  which  will  be  accompanied  with 
directions  for  their  culture,  in  a  brief,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
explicit  manner. 

It  may  be  here  necessary  to  define  the  difference  between 
bulbous  and  tuberous  roots.  Those  designated  bulbous, 
have  skins  similar  to  Onions,  or  the  Allium  tribe;  and  tuber- 
ous roots  imply  all  such  as  produce  tubers  something  similar 
to  Potatoes. 

The  soil  for  bulbous  and  tuberous  roots  in  general  should 
be  light  and  yet  capable  of  retaining  moisture,  not  such  a? 
is  liable  to  become  bound  up  by  heat,  or  that  in  consequence 
of  too  large  a  portion  of  sand,  is  likely  to  become  violently 
hot  in  Summer;  but  a  medium  earth  between  the  two  ex- 
tremes. As  many  city  gardens  do  not  contain  a  natural 
soil  of  any  depth,  a  suitable  compost  should  be  provided  in 


§4         BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS-ROOTED  PLANTS. 

such  cases,  which  may  consist  of  equal  parts  of  sand,  loam, 
rotten  manure,  mould,  &c. 

When  ready,  the  heds  may  be  laid  out,  from  three  to  four 
feet  wide,  and  they  should  be  raised  two  or  three  inches 
above  the  level  of  the  walks,  which  will  give  an  opportunity 
for  all  superfluous  moisture  to  run  off.  Let  the  beds  thus 
formed  be  pulverized  to  the  depth  of  fifteen  or  eighteen 
inches;  and  at  the  time  of  planting,  let  a  small  quantity  of 
beach  sand  be  strewed  in  the  apertures  or  trenches,  prepared 
for  the  roots  to  grow  in,  both  before  and  after  placing  them, 
which  will  prove  beneficial. 

A  Southern  exposure,  dry  and  airy,  and  sheltered  from 
the  north-west  winds,  is  preferable  for  most  bulbs.  But 
Anemones  and  Ranunculuses  should  be  in  some  measure 
sheltered  from  the  intense  heat  of  noon. 

Beds  of  hardy  bulbous  and  tuberous  roots  should^ be 
covered  on  the  approach  of  Winter  with  litter,  leaves,  straw, 
or  such  earth  as  is  formed  by  the  decay  of  leaves,  to  the 
depth  of  two  or  three  inches,  as  it  prevents  any  ill  effects 
which  a  severe  season  may  have  on  the  roots  ;  but  it  should 
be  carefully  raked  off  again  in  the  Spring. 

Bulbous  roots  in  general  should  be  taken  up  in  about  a 
month  or  six  weeks  after  the  bloom  is  exhausted;  the  foliage 
or  leaves  then  turn  yellow.  If  line  warm  weather,  the  bulbs 
may  be  dried  on  the  beds  they  grew  on,  by  placing  them  in 
separate  rows,  being  careful  not  to  mix  the  several  varieties 
together.  To  prevent  such  an  accident,  labels  may  be 
affixed  to,  or  placed  in  the  ground  opposite  each  bulb — 
they  will  keep  much  better  for  being  dried  gradually  ;  to 
this  end,  a  little  dry  earth  may  be  shaken  over  them,  to 
screen  them  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  If  it  should  rain 
before  they  get  dry,  take  them  in,  or  cover  them  with 
boards  ;  when  dry,  clear  them  of  the  fibres  and  stems,  and 
then  put  them  away  in  dry  sand  ;  or  wrapped  in  paper,  they 
may  be  kept  in  boxes  or  drawers  until  the  season  of  planting 


BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS-ROOTED  PLANTS.       65 

The  tender  Tuberous  roots,  such  as  Dahlias,  and  the 
like,  will  have  to  be  taken  up  before  the  cold  becomes  se- 
vere. As  the  Dahlia  exhibits  its  flowers  in  all  their  splen- 
dour until  nipped  by  the  frost,  the  roots  ought,  in  the  event 
of  a  very  sudden  attack,  to  be  secured  from  its  blighting 
effects.  They  are  not  apt  to  keep  well,  if  taken  up 
before  they  are  ripened  ;  the  tops  should  therefore,  be  cut 
down  as  soon  as  they  have  done  flowering,  and  the  ground 
covered  around  the  roots,  with  dung  or  litter  ;  this  will 
enable  them  to  ripen  without  being  injured  by  frost;  and  in 
about  a  week  after  being  cut  down,  or  on  appearance  of 
severe  weather,  they  should  be  dug  up  and  packed  in  dry 
sand,  and  then  stowed  away  in  a  dry  place  out  of  the  reach 
of  frost.  The  temperature  suited  to  keep  greenhouse  plants 
will  preserve  them  in  good  order.  Some  people  complain 
of  the  difficulty  of  keeping  Dahlia  roots  through  theWinter. 
I  am  of  opinion  that  they  are  often  killed  from  being  taken 
up  before  they  are  ripe,  and  then  put  in  a  confined  damp 
place ;  or  are  by  some,  perhaps,  subjected  to  the  other  ex- 
treme, and  dried  to  a  husk.  I  keep  mine  on  shelves  in  the 
greenhouse,  and  seldom  lose  one  in  a  hundred.  If  it  be  an 
object  with  the  cultivator  to  have  the  names  perpetuated  from 
year  to  year,  each  plant  should  have  a  small  label  affixed  to 
the  old  stalk,  by  means  of  small  brass  or  copper  wire,  as 
twine  is  very  apt  to  get  rotten. 

Cape  Bulbs,  and  such  tuberous  roots  as  are  cultivated  in 
pots,  on  account  of  their  tenderness,  should  be  kept  dry 
after  the  foliage  is  decayed,  until  within  about  a  month  of 
their  period  of  regerminating,  at  which  time  they  should,  after 
having  been  deprived  of  their  surplus  offsets,  be  repotted  in 
good  fresh  earth. 

There  are  some  descriptions  of  bulbous  and  tuberous 
roots  that  need  not  be  taken  up  oftener  than  once  in  two  or 
three  years,  and  then  only  to  deprive  them  of  the  young 
offsets,  and  to  manure  the  ground.  These  will  be  described 
hereafter  under  their  different  heads. 

6* 


66  AMARYLLISES. 

Tn  the  articles  which  follow,  I  have  named  the  preferable 
season  for  planting  the  various  kinds  of  bulbous  and  tuberous 
roots  ;  but  as  some  bulbs  will  keep  in  good  condition  several 
months,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  retaining  such  out  of 
the  ground,  to  suit  any  particular  purpose  or  convenience. 


DIRECTIONS 

FOR     THE 

CULTIVATION  OF  BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS-ROOTEI> 

PLANTS. 


AMARYLLISES. 

Of  this  genus  of  flowering  bulbs,  there  are  about  eighty 
species,  and  upwards  of  one  hundred  varieties;  they  are 
natives  of  South  America,  and  in  Europe  are  generally 
kept  in  the  hot-house ;  some  of  the  varieties  are  hybrids, 
produced  by  cultivation  ;  these  succeed  very  well  in  the 
greenhouse,  and  in  this  country  we  frequently  have  very 
perfect  flowers  in  the  borders.  A  few  of  the  choicest 
varieties  are  as  follows  : 

Amaryllis  Aulica,  or  Crowned  Amaryllis,  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  ;  it  produces  four  flowers,  about  seven  inches 
in  diameter,  on  an  erect  stem,  about  two  feet  and  a  half 
high,  with  six  petals  of  green,  crimson,  and  fine  transparent 
red  colours. 

A.  Ballota,  produces  three  or  four  rich  scarlet  flowers 
on  the  stem,  each  about  five  inches  in  diameter ;  there  are 
two  or  three  varieties  of  this  species,  all  beautiful. 

A,  Johnsoniensis.     The  stem  of  this  variety  rises  about 


ANEMONES  AND  RANUNCULUSES.  67 

two  feet,  and  exhibits  four  beautiful  scarlet  flowers,  with  a 
white  streak  in  the  centre  of  each  petal,  each  flower  about 
six  inches  diameter.     It  sometimes  produce  two  stems. 

A.  Longifolia,  or  Crinum  Capense,  is  perfectly  hardy  ;  it 
flowers  in  large  umbels  of  a  pink  colour,  inclining  to  white, 
and  is  a  good  garden  variety. 

Amaryllis  fonnosissima,  or  Jacobean  Lily,  produces  a 
flower  of  great  beauty  ;  although  a  low-priced  plant,  it 
throws  out  gracefully  its  glittering  crimson-coloured  petals, 
which  have  a  brilliancy  almost  too  intense  for  the  eye  to  rest 
upon. 

The  A.  Lirfea,  produces  its  bright  yellow  flowers  in 
October,  in  the  open  air  ;  but  the  bulb  requires  a  little  pro- 
tection in  the  Winter,  or  it  may  perish. 

The  most  suitable  soil  for  Amaryllises  is  a  clean  new 
earth,  taken  from  under  fresh  grass  sods,  mixed  with  sand 
and  leaf  mould  ;  the  latter  ingredient  should  form  about  a 
third  of  the  whole,  and  the  sand  about  a  sixth.  Some  of  the 
varieties  may  be  planted  in  pots  during  the  month  of  April, 
and  others  will  do  very  well  in  the  open  ground,  if  planted 
early  in  May,  in  a  sunny  situation.  The  bulb  should  not 
be  set  more  than  half  its  depth  in  the  ground  ;  as,  if  planted 
too  deep,  it  will  not  bloom  ;  the  plant  deriving  its  nourish- 
ment only  from  the  fibres.  When  the  bulbs  have  done 
flowering,  such  as  are  in  pots  should  be  watered  very 
sparingly,  so  that  ihey  may  be  perfectly  ripened,  which  will 
cause  them  to  shoot  stronger  in  the  ensuing  season,  and 
those  in  the  ground  should  be  taken  up,  and  preserved 
in  sand  or  paper. 


ANEMONES  AND  RANUNCULUSES. 

These  are  medium,  or  half-hardy  roots,  producing  beau- 
tiful little  flowers  of  various  hues,  and  are  highly  deserving 
of  cultivation.    The  bulbs  should  be  planted  in  a  fresh,  well 


CROCUSES. 


pulverized,  loamy  soil,  enriched  with  cow  dung.  If  planted 
in  the  garden,  the  beds  ought  not  to  be  raised  above  one  inch 
higher  than  the  alleys,  and  the  surface  should  be  level,  as  it 
is  necessary  for  the  prosperity  of  these  plants,  rather  to 
retain  than  to  throw  off  moisture.  The  plants  will  generally 
survive  our  Winters ;  but  it  is  always  safest  to  plant  them  in 
such  a  manner  that  a  temporary  frame  of  boards  can  be 
placed  over  them  when  the  weather  sets  in  severe  ;  and  if 
they  are  to  be  shaded  while  in  flower,  the  posts  intended  for 
the  awning  may  be  fixed  in  the  ground  at  the  same  time  ; 
these  will  serve  to  nail  the  boards  to,  and  thus  answer  two 
purposes. 

Anemones  and  Ranunculuses  may  be  planted  during 
October  or  November,  in  drills  two  inches  deep,  and  six 
inches  apart ;  the  roots  should  be  placed  claws  downwards, 
about  four  inches  distant  from  each  other,  and  covered  up, 
leaving  the  bed  quite  level.  The  awning  need  not  be 
erected  over  the  beds  until  they  come  into  bud,  which  will 
be  early  in  May  ;  the  extreme  heat  of  the  American  climate 
is,  however,  unfavourable  to  the  perfect  developement  of 
their  beautiful  blossoms  in  ordinary  seasons,  even  when 
shaded. 


CROCUSES. 

These  are  hardy  little  bulbs,  said  to  be  natives  of 
Switzerland.  There  are  in  all  about  fifty  varieties  of  this 
humble,  yet  beautiful  plant,  embracing  a  great  variety 
of  hues  and  complexions,  and  their  hardiness,  and  earliness 
in  flower,  offer  a  strong  motive  for  their  cultivation.  The 
bulbs  may  be  planted  in  October  or  November,  in  rows 
about  six  inches  from  the  edgings  ;  if  in  beds,  they  may  be 
placed  in  ranks  of  distinct  colours,  about  four  inches  apart, 
and  from  one  to  two  deep,  which  will  afford  to  their  admirers 
considerable   amusement   and  gratification,  and  that  at  a 


CROWN    IMPERIAL,    COLCHICUM,    AND  CYCLAMEN.  69 

very  early  season.     They  are  generally  in  full  perfection 
early  in  April 


CROWN  IMPERIAL. 

This  is  a  species  of  the  genus  Fritillaria,  of  which  there 
are  about  twenty  species  and  varieties,  chiefly  natives  of 
Persia.  These  squamose  bulbs  produce  tall  luxuriant  stems, 
embellished  with  green  glossy  foliage,  and  flowers  of  various 
hues  ;  but  there  are  only  a  few  of  the  most  curious  cultivated, 
perhaps  on  account  of  their  odour,  which  to  some  persons 
is  disagreeable.  They  are,  however,  very  hardy,  and 
produce  singular  and  showy  flowers  in  April  and  May, 
suited  to  make  variety  in  the  flower  borders,  in  which  thev 
may  be  planted  in  August  and  September,  from  three  to 
four  inches  deep  ;  they  need  not  be  taken  up  every  year  n& 
other  bulbs,  and  when  they  are,  which  may  be  about  every 
third  year,  they  ought  not  to  be  retained  too  long  out  of  the 
ground  before  they  are  again  replanted. 


COLCHICUM. 

This  curious  little  bulb,  being  planted  in  the  month 
of  June,  about  two  inches  deep,  produces  its  flowers  in 
October,  it  then  dies,  without  leaving  any  external  ap- 
pearance of  seeds  ;  they,  however,  lie  buried  in  the  bulb  all 
the  Winter,  and  in  Spring  produce  a  stalk  with  seeds,  which 
get  ripe  by  the  first  of  June,  just  in  time  to  plant  for  flowering 
in  the  ensuing  Autumn.  How  wonderful  are  the  provisions 
of  nature  ! 


CYCLAMEN. 

There  are  several  species  of  the  Persian  Cyclamen  which 
are  worthy  of  cultivation  in  pots  ;  the  vareties,  Coum  and 


70  DOUBLE    DAHLIA 

Persicum,  will  bloom  in  a  greenhouse,  or  warm  room,  from 
January  to  April,  if  planted  in  a  good  light  compost  early 
ia  September.  The  foliage  of  these  plants  is  of  a  dark 
green  velvet  colour;  and  the  flowers  of  the  variety  Coum 
are  of  a  dark  crimson  colour  ;  those  of  the  variety  Persicum 
are  of  a  delicate  French  white,  tipped  with  pink,  and  their 
fragrance  is  similar  to  that  of  the  wild  rose. 


DOUBLE  DAHLIA. 

This  may  with  propriety  be  denominated  one  of  the  moss 
important  perennial  tuberous-rooted  plants  that  can  be 
introduced  into  a  garden,  and  from  the  circumstance  of  its 
having  become  so  fashionable  of  late  years,  I  have  felt 
anxious  to  furnish  in  this  work,  a  catalogue  of  all  the 
choicest  varieties  attainable  ;  I  therefore  applied  to  Mr.  G. 
C.  Thorburn,  who,  from  a  regular  correspondence  with  con- 
noisseurs, both  in  England  and  America,becomes  acquainted 
with  all  the  most  beautiful  and  rare  varieties.  He  has 
kindly  furnished  a  list  and  description  of  about  one  hun- 
dred; including  the  choicest  seedling's  of  183S  and  1839, 
which  will  be  cultivated  for  the  first  time  in  America,  in  his 
garden  at  Astoria,  1840  ;  plants  from  which  will  be  for  sale  a^ 
No.  11  John  street.  To  these  I  have  added  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  varieties,  most  of  which  I  have  had  under 
cultivation  in  my  own  garden,  and  which  may  be  justly 
denominated  pre  -eminent. 

In  making  this  selection,  several  superb  varieties  are 
omitted,  not  because  they  are  undervalued,  but  for  the  sake 
of  brevity,  which  in  a  work  of  this  kind  must  be  consulted. 
Those  marked  thus  f  are  native  American  varieties.  Those 
marked  thus  *  obtained  the  greatest  number  of  premiums 
at  the  various  Floricultural  and  Horticultural  exhibition*  in 
Great  Britain,  as  well  as  in  our  own  country.  There  are, 
perhaps,  a  hundred  more  in  this  catalogue  not  far  beneath 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE.  71 

them,  but  none  are  marked  except  those  which  from  having 
been  tested  in  this  climate,  can  with  confidence  be  recom- 
mended as  being  free  and  perfect  bloomers.  The  choicest 
seedlings  of  1838  and  9,  and  which  have  been  purchased  in 
Englaud  at  from  fifteen  shillings  to  five  pounds  sterling  each, 
are  marked  thus  §.  It  may  be  necessary  to  observe,  that 
many  of  our  choice  old  varieties,  as  well  as  several  of  the 
new  ones  hereinafter  described, have  not  been  offered  in  com- 
petition at  public  exhibitions  ;  these  are,  therefore,  not  to  be 
undervalued  for  want  of  the  star  or  asterisk,  and  it  is  pre- 
sumed that  the  brief  description  given  of  the  different  shades, 
will  be  sufficient  to  govern  amateurs  in  their  choice. 

As  much  depends  on  the  climate,  soil  and  situation  in  which 
Dahlias  are  cultivated  ;  and  as  the  descriptions  which  follow 
have  been  given  by  various  persons,  in  different  parts  of 
England  as  well  as  America,  whose  soils  and  situations  are 
different,  the  height  of  these  plants  may  vary  a  foot  or  more 
from  our  estimate,  when  planted  in  one  uniform  soil  and 
situation. 


CATALOGUE 

OF       . 

ID®  W  IB  3L  IB  ©jnn&n^ 


t  Denotes  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Bloomers.    $  New  Varieties.        HEIGH-? 

IN    FEET. 

*  Acme  of  Perfection,  (Harris's)  white,  with  crimson  edge  -      4  to  5 
Ada  Byron,  shaded  rose,            -                         -            -  4  to  5 

*  Addison,  puce,  beautifully  shaded  with  crimson       •  -      4  to  5 
Adonis,  (Widnalfs,)  a  free-blooming  fringed  scarlet    -  4  to  5 

*  Adventure,  (Towards,)  extra  fine  purple    -            -  4  to  5 

*  Agamemnon,  (  Widnalfs,)  rich  ruby,  crimson,  a  fine  bloomer   5  to  6 
§  Alba  Elegans,  pure  white,  elegant  shaped  flower      •  4  to  5 


72 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE. 


t   Denotes  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Bloomers.    §  New  Varieties. 

§  Alciope,  (Girling's,)  fine  rosy  purple  - 

Alpha,  (Simmond's,)  fine  scarlet  crimson  ... 

Angelina,  white,  beautifully  edged  with  lilac  ... 
§  Antiope,  (Case's,)  beautiful  lilac,  fine  shape 

*  Apollo,  (WidnaWs,)  fine  dark  scarlet,  cupped  petala 

*  Ariel,  (Imcoed's,)  white,  edged  with  lilac 

*  Aurora,  (Maide's,)  white,  striped  with  crimson 
Australia,  (Foster's)  superb  shaded  crimson 

§  Banks  of  the  Tyne,  vivid  scarlet  .... 
Battle  Rival,  bright  yellow,  large  flower  ... 

*  Beauty,  (Broicn's,)  exquisite  lilac       - 

Beauty  of  Bath,  (BartletCs,)  purple  and  cream  striped 

* of  Bedford,  shaded  purple,  and  crimson 

—  of  Camberwell,  rosy  lilac,  a  free-bloomer 

of  Cornwall,  purple,  tipped  with  white 

of  Dulwich,  yellow,  mottled  with  brown     _- 

§  of  Hyde  Vale,  maroon,  striped  with  lilac 

*  ■ cf  Kingscote,  white,  tipped  with  crimson     - 

of  Lullingstone,  dark  puce,  large  flower 

*  of  the  North,  (Medley's,)  superb  purple 

*  of  Perry  Hill,  mottled  rose  and  blush 

t  of  Salem,  white,' tinted  with  rosy  pink 

*  of  Waterford,  carnation  striped 

§   of  the  WestRiding,  (Evanses  )  carmine,  orange  mottled 

*  Berkshire  Champion,  crimson  maroon,  globular  shape 

*  Bianca,  (Lownds's,)  white,  good  form  -.-•"? 
Birmingham  Victor,  (Hodge's,)  fine  crimson,  cupped  petals  - 
f  Blandina,  good  white                ..... 

*  Bontishall,  dark  maroon  ..... 

*  Bowling  Green  Rival,  dark  ruby,  cupped  petals  '    - 

*  Bride  of  Abydos,  white,  sometimes  tinted  with  purple 
Bride,  (Harding's,)  white,  with  purple  spots   - 

§  British  Queen,  (King's,)  light  blush,  mottled  with  blood  red 
Burgundy,  dark  velvet  maroon,  finely  cupped 

*  Calliope,  extra  fine  ruby  scarlet         - 
Cambridge  Hero,  ( WidnaWs,)  fine  dark  maroon 
Camarine,  yellow,  tipped  with  red         - 

§  Candidate,  (Smith's,)  rich  claret,  striped  with  purple 
Cedo  Nulli,  (Pothccary's,)  yellow,  striped  with  red 

*  Champion  of  England,  rich  maroon  - 

»  Champion,  (Wells's,)  white,  tipped  with  lilac 


HEIGHT 
IN    FEET. 

4  to  5 


to  8 
to  5 

to 


to 

to 

to 

to 

to 
5  to 
4  to 
4  to 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

6  to  8 
5  to  6 
4  to  5 
3  to 

to 


3  to 
5  to 
5  to 

5  to  6 
5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

5  to  6 

6  to  7 
4  to  5 

4  to  5 
3  to  4 

5  to  6 
5  to  6 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE.  73 

t  Denotes  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Blocmers.    $  New  Varieties.  HEIGHT 

IN    FEET. 

Cheltenham  Rival,  dark  shaded  crimson            -            -            -  5  to  f» 

Clara,  (Seaman's,)  superb  white             -            -             -  4  to  5 

*  Cleopatra,  extra  fine  blush,  white  -  -  -  4  to  5 
§  Climax,  (Jeffrie's,)  dark  crimson,  finely  formed        -  4  to  5 

*  Clio,  (WidnalVs,)  rich  purple,  always  perfect  -  4  to  5 
Clio  Perfecta,  buff,  tipped  with  purple            -            -  5  to  6 

*  Colossus,  (Brown's,)  beautiful  crimson,  extra  large  flower  5  to  6 
4  Competitor,  (Smith's,)  blueish  purple,  beautiful  -  4  to  5 
I  Comte  de  Paris,  fine  canary  yellow,  superb  flower  -  4  to  5 
Conductor,  (WidnalVs,)  splendid  purple          -            -  3  to  4 

*  Conqueror  ofEaro])e,(Elphi7istone's,)b\ush,  shaded  with  pink  4  to  5 
Conqueror,  (Garnier's,)  rich  velvet  crimson  -  -  4  to  5 
Conqueror,  (Chandler's,)  fine,  shaded  purple  -  -  5  to  6 
»  Conservative,  (Seaman's,)  bright  ruby  scarlet           -  5  to  6 

*  Constantine  the  Great,  light,  chastely  variegated  -  4  to  5 
$  Contender,  (Girlings,)  fine  shaded  purple,  cupped  -  4  to  5 
Contender,  (Stanford's)  rich  maroon,  crimson  margin  -  5  to  6 
Coronation,  (Elliot's,)  white,  laced  with  purple           -  5  to  6 

*  Coronation,  (Elphin stone's,)  beautiful  rosy  pink      -  4  to  5 

*  Corinne,  (Brown's,)  white,  curiously  veined  with  crimson  -  3  to  4 

*  Coronet,  superb  dark  puce,  large  flower  -  -  4  to  5 
Coriolanus,  (Dray's,)  extra  dark  crimson  -  -  6  to  7 
Countess  of  Burlington,  (Skirting's,)  superb  white  -  3  to  4 

of  Dunmore,  white,  with  purple  tips             -  4  to  5 

of  Liverpool,  beautiful  shaped  scarlet           -            -  6  to  8 

*  of  Mansfield,  (Hudson's,)  extra  fine  white     -  4  to  5 

*  of  Radnor,  mottled  lilac,  and  carmine           -  4  to  5 

of  Sheffield,  fine  rosy  purple              -             -             -  6  to  7 

of  Torrington,  blush,  edged  with  lilac           -  4  to  5 

of  Wemyss,  peach  blossom,  edged  with  purple         -  5  to  6 

Criterion,  (Douglas's,)  white,  laced  with  bright  lilac     -    .         -  5  to  6 

Croesus,  yellow,  tipped  with  purple,  beautiful  when  at  perfection  4  to  5 

*  Daphne,  (WidnalVs,)  delicate  blush  -  -  -  4  to  5 
Defiance,  (Harwood's,)  fine  purple,  round  cupped  petals  -  5  to  6 
Dennissii,  fine  ruby  purple        -            -            -            -            -  5  to  6 

*  Desdemono,,  (Broicn's,)  white,  laced  with  rose,  showy  flower  4  to  5 
t  Diadem,  ( Dunlap's,)  fine  bright  scarlet         -            -  4  to  5 

*  Diadem  of  Flora,  (Girling's,)  extra  fine  ruby  scarlet  -  5  to  6 
Diadem  of  Perfection,  (Taylor's.)  rosy  crimson,  cupped  petals  4  to  5 
Diana,  (Elphin stone's,)  beautiful  crimson  and  yellow  -  4  to  5 
Dictator,  (Wells's,)  extra  large  scarlet  -           •           -           -  5  to  (5 


74  DAHLIA    CATALOGUE. 

t  DenotM  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Bloomers.  §  New  Varieties.      HEIGHT 

IN    FEET. 

*  Dido,  (Young's,")  fine  rosy  lilac  -  -  -  4  to  5 
$  Diomede,  rich  maroon  and  purple,  shaded  -  -  -  -  4  to  5 
i  Donna  Anna,  (Cook's,)  splendid  dark  rose    -            -  4  to  5 

*  Don  Carlos,  beautiful  crimson,  fine  shaped  flower  -  4  to  5 
Duchess  of  Bedford,  (WidnalVs,)  bright  scarlet            -  4  to  5 

of  Buccleugh,  (Cormack's,)  sulphur,  pink  margin    -  4  to  5 

of  Kent,  (Mitchell's,)  white,  edged  with  lake            -  4  to  5 

—  of  Montrose,  (Dray's,)  mottled  rose,  yellow,  crimson  4  to  5 

*  of  Portland,  (Tillary's,)  blush,  purple  edge              -  3  to  4 

*  of  Richmond,  (Elphinstone's,)  orange  and  pink        -  4  to  5 

*  of  Sutherland,  (Skirving's,)  blush,  tipped  with  pink  6  to  7 

*  Duke  of  Bedford,  (Dennis's,)  large  crimson  maroon            -  5  to  6 

of  Bedford,  (Newby's,)  dark  purple  -            -  6  to  7 

$  of  Richmond,  carmine  shaded  with  lilac,  (splendid)  4  to  5 

t  Dwarf  Scarlet,  (Nealc's,)  a  prolific  and  free  bloomer            -  3  to  4 

Earl  of  Tankerville,  extra  fine  scarlet    -            -            -  4  to  5 

3  Egyptian  King,  rose,  delicately  tipped  with  bronze              -  4  to  5 

*  Egyptian  Prince,  fine  glossy  plum  colour  -  -  4  to  5 
«  .Eliza,  (Stanford's,)  fine  yellow,  with  red  centre  -  3  to  4 
$  Elizabeth,  (Trentfield's,)  blush,  mottled,  edged  with  crimson  4  to  5 
Empress,  (Dennis's,)  yellow,  edged  with  purple  -  5  to  6 
England's  Defiance,  (Miller's,)  red  and  white,  striped              -  3  to  4 

*  Essex  Rival,  (Sorrel's,)  fine  dark  purple        -            -  4  to  5 

*  Etonia,  (Heeler's,)  extra  fine  salmon  colour,  cupped  petals  4  to  5 
Euphernea,  (Mollineux's,)  extra  fine  purple     -             -  5  to  6 

*  Eva,  (Foster's,)  fine  blush  white,  cupped  petals        -  3  to  4 

*  Exemplar,  (WidnalVs.)  extra  large  white,  always  perfect     -  5  to  6 

*  Exquisite,  (Girling's,)  superb  salmon  colour,  cupped  petals  5  to  6 
<)  Fire  Ball  (Squibb's)  vivid  scarlet.  4  to  5 

*  Fisherton  Champion  (Squibb's)  dark  crimson  4  to  5 
;i  Formosa  (Girling's)  fine  buff,  tipped  with  rose  -  -  5  to  6 
0  Gazelle,  white,  edged  similar  to  Peach  blossom.  -  -  4  to  5 
t  General  Harrison  (Buel  and  Wilson's)  fine  scarlet .     -            -  4  to  5 

*  Glory,  (Douglas's)  extra  large  bright  scarlet.  -  -  5  to  6 
$  Glory  of  Chieveley,  superb  scarlet.  -  .  4  to  5 
Gloria  Mundi,  light  sulphur  yellow.       -            -            -            -  4  to  5 

*  Glory  of  Plymouth,  (Rendle's)  white,  tipped  with  purple.  -  4  to  5 

*  Glory  of  the  West,  (Dray's)  scarlet  ball-flower  richly  cupped.    6  to  7 

*  Gold  Finder,  (Dray's)  bright  primrose  yellow,  cupped.        -  4  to  5 

*  Golden  Sovereign,  (Hedley's)  superb  golden  yellow  -  5  to  6 
§  Grace  Darling,  or  Heroine  of  the  North,  light,  lavender  margin  4  to  5 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE.  75 

t    Denotes  American  Seedling*.    *  Free  Bloomen.    §  ITew  Varieties.        HEIGHT 

IN    FEET- 

Grand  Falconer,  beautiful  light  crimson.          -           -  5  to  6 

*  Grandis,  extra  large,  ruby  purple       -            -            -  5  to  6 

*  Heathergreen  Rival,  sulphur  yellow  -  -  3  to  4 
Helena,  (MecketVs)  fine  blush  white      -            -            -  4  to  5 

*  Helen  of  Troy,  beautiful  light  rosy  blush,  perfect  form  -  4  to  5 
I  Henry  Clay,  superb  scarlet  -  -  -  -  4  to  5 
Hermione,  {Wells')  white,  tipped  with  purple  -  -  6  to  7 
Hero,  (Foster's)  dark  red,  cupped  petals  -  -  4  to  5 
$  Hero  of  Nottingham,  maroon,  edged  with  rose         -  4  to  5 

of  Seven  Oaks,  beautiful  rosy  crimson            -  4  to  5 

t of  Tippecanoe,  (Hancock's)  ruby  purple         -  4  to  5 

*—— of  Wakefield,  superb  rosy  crimson        -            -  5  to  6 

of  Wymbourn,  plum  colour,  fine  show  flower  -      4  to  5 

Honourable  Mrs.  Ashley,  (Brown's)  white  with  blood  tip  -  3  to  4 
Stewart  Wortley,  fine  rosy  purple  -            -  3  to  4 

*  Hope,  (Ncvill's)  noval  rose  colour,  splendid  form  -  4  to  5 
Horatio,  (Smith's)  yellow,  margined  with  rosy  crimson  -       3  to  4 

*  Horatio.  (WidnalVs)  bright  purple,  cupped  -  -  5  to  6 
•Horticulturist,  (Elphinstone's)  superb  rosy  lilac  '  -  -  4  to  5 
Incomparable  White,  (Wheeler's)  pure  white  -  -  5  to  6 
Independent,  (Girling's)  superb  yellow  -  -  5  to  6 
$  Ingestric  Rival,  fine  lilac,  exquisite  form  -  -  4  to  5 
Innovator,  (  Wells's)  yellow  edged  with  red,  beautiful  when  perfect  4  to  5 
Jealous  Wife,  yellow,  with  cupped  petals.  -  -  4  to  5 
t  Jessie  Thorburn,  (Thorium's)  white,  edged  with  pink  -  5  to  6 
Joan  of  Arc,  (Catleugh's)  beautiful  pink  -  -  4  to  5 
Julia,  (Broicn's)  nankeen  colour            -             -             -  4  to  5 

*  Julia,  (Clarke' s)su\]}hur  tipped  with  crimson  -  4  to  5 
Juliet,  (WidnaWs)  fine  cupped  rose  -  -  -  4  to  5 
Juno,  (Girling's)  rich  rosy  purple        -            -            -  4  to  5 

*  Kingscote  Rival,  beautiful  light  rose  -  -  -  5  to  6 
King  of  Beauties,  (Elphinstone's)  light  with  crimson  edge  -  4  to  5 
King  Otho,  ruby  rose  or  lake  colour,  large  flower          -  5  to  6 

of  the  Whites,  pure  white,  flowers  generally  perfect  -      4  to  5 

of  the  Yellows.  (Elphinstone's)  fine  cupped  petals  -      4  to  5 

La  Carnation,  (Paul's)  white  flaked  with  rosy  crimson  -      3  to  4 

*Lady  Anne,  (Hopwood''s~)  white,  laced  with  lilac          •  3  to  4 

Dartmouth,  (WidnaWs)  white,  edged  with  lilac  -  5  to  6 

§ Deacon,  clear  creamy  lemon,  veined  with  rose    •  4  to  5 

Fordwich,  lilac,  mottled  and  striped  with  blush  •  5  to  6 

— —  King,  fine  delicate  rose    -           -            -           •  3  to  4 


76 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE 


t  Denotes  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Bloomers.    §  New  Varieties.       HEIGHT 

IN    FEET. 

Lady   Kinnaird,  (Kidd's)  rosy  lilac        .... 
§ Maclean,  light  ground,  crimson  margin,  superb  flower  - 

Mallet,  (Fawcett's)  white,  laced  with  rose 

Molyneux,  red,  sometimes  striped  and  tipped  with  white 

Northampton,  white,  tinted  with  purple 

* Powlet,  bright  lilac,  perfect  formed  flower 

* Sonde's  (Coxs)  pale  yellow  edged  with  rose 

Webster,  extra  fine  crimson          .... 

§ Wenman,  light  claret,  finely  cupped 

Lady  of  the  Lake,  (  Wells's)  white,  tinted  with  rosy  purple 
$  Lancashire  Witch,  white,  edged  with  purple 

*  Lavinia,  pure  white,  edged  with  lilac  ... 

*  Letitia,  (Wells')  yellow  and  brown,  fine  shape 
§  Lewisham  Rival,  white,  elegantly  cupped      - 
Liberty,  purple  plum  colour,  a  free  bloomer      - 
Lilac  Perfection,  (Harding' s)  beautiful  when  at  maturity 
§  Lilac  Perfection,  (Ingram's)  extra  fine  form  and  colour 
§  Lilac  Unique,  a  fine  flower  and  perfect  bloomer 
Lord  Bath,  (Wheeler's)  large  crimson  purple      - 

Byron,  (Smith's)  fine  bright  crimson 

Morpeth.  (Evans's)  dark  puce,  finely  cupped    - 

Russell,  bright  scarlet  ball,  a  free  bloomer 

*  Lovely  Ami,  (Dickerson's)  blush  white,  tinted  with  lilac 
§  Lucina,  (Spe^icer's)  fine  lilac,  edged  with  crimson     - 
*Madonna,  (Stanford's)  fine  rosy  lilac  - 

Man  of  Honour,  (Harding's)  brilliant  rose         ... 
^Marchioness  of  Lansdowne,  blush,  with  purple  edge  - 
Maria  Edgeworth,  primrose,  tipped  with  rose  -  -  - 

*  Marquis  of  Lothian,  (GoodalVs)  superb  rosy  crimson 
* of  Northampton,  (El jjhin  stone's)  mottled  ruby 

*  Marshal  Soult,  (Elphinstone's)  lilac  and  red   -  - 
§  Marshal  Soult,  (Stewart's)  mottled  rose,  extra  fine    - 
Mary,  (Dodd's)  white,  laced  with  rosy  lilac,  beautiful  at  maturity 
Mary  (Weller's)  light  purple,  cupped 
Mary  of  Burgundy, (Catleugtis)  carmine  and  white 

*  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  white  margined  with  purple  - 
§  Masterpiece,  (Wilmer's,)  white,  tipped  with  lilac  - 
§  Matchless,  (Weller's.)  superb  carmine,  well-formed  flower  - 

*  Mazeppa,  (WidnaW's ,)  rich  ruby  purple     -  -  - 
Medusa,  (Wells's.)  white  and  pink,  beautifully  mottled 
Metropolitan  Calypso,  splendid  rosy  blush       ... 


4  to  5 

4  to  5 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

3  to  4 

5  to  6 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

DAHLIA    CATALOGUE  77 

t    Denote*  American  Seedlings,   *  Fr*e  Bloomers.    §  New  Varieties.       HEIGHT 

IN    FELT, 

Metropolitan  Perfection,  dark  velvet,  crimson  ball-flowe  r  6  to  7 

»  Metropolitan  Yellow,  extra  fine         -            -              -  4  to  5 

*  Middlesex  Rival,  extra  fine,  dark  purple  -  •  5  to  6 
Miss  Broadwood,  delicate  white  -  -  -  4  to  5 
§  Miss  Johnston,  fine  rose,  beautiful  shape        -            •  4  to  5 

*  Miss  Scroope,  (Hedley's.)  fine  rose,  cupped              -  -      5  te  6 

*  Miss  Wilson,  white,  tipped  with  scarlet  -  -  -  5  to  6 
Miss  Wortley,  lilac  and  buff  -  -  .  -  4  to  5 
§  Model  of  Perfection,  (Nevilles)  extra  dark  maroon  -  3  to  4 
t  Mrs.  Bucknall,  white,  delicately  edged  with  lilac  -  4  to  5 
Mrs.  Cullis,  (Hodge's)  fine  rosy  crimson  -  -  4  to  5 
Mrs.  Davies,  (Norman's)  white,  edged  with  purple  -  4  to  5 
t*  Mrs.  Rushton,  (BuisVs)  blush  white,  finely  cupped  -      4  to  5 

*  Mrs.  Wilkinson,  extra  fine  blush  white  -  -  -  5  to  6 
Mungo  Park,  (Young's)  light  crimson              -             -  4  to  5 

*  Napoleon  (S?7iith's)  dark  crimson,  excellent  formed  flower  5  to  6 
Neil,  Dr.  (Sinittis)  dark  maroon,  free  bloomer            -  4  to  5 

*  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  (WidnaWs,)  fine  shaped,  purple  and  crimson  3  to  4 
Newick  Park  Rival,  (Slater's.)  glossy  purple                -  4  to  5 

*  Newick  Rival-,  (Manlell's,)  beautiful  ruby  rose        -  -      5  to  6 

*  Nimrod,  (WidnaWs,)  fine  dark  crimson  -  -  -  5  to  © 
North  Star,  bright  purple,  a  superb  flower      -            -  -       5  to  6 

*  Oliva,  (Wells's,)  fine  yellow,  tipped  with  red  -  4  to  5 
Osceolus,  crimson  tipped  with  white  -  -  -  4  to  5 
Ovid,  (Keyne's)  bluish  purple,  beautifully  cupped      -  4  to  5 

*  Paragon,  (Wells's)  yellow,  edged  with  white  -  -  4  to  5 
Peerless  White,  purest  of  whites  -  -  -  -  5  to  6 
Perfection,  (Hedleys)  first  rate  dark  maroon  -  -  3  to  4 
Perfection,  (Holman's)  white,  tipped  and  striped  with  lilac  5  to  6 
Perfection,  (WidnaWs)  cupped  rosy  crimson  -  4  to  5 
Picta,  orange  and  red,  mottled  and  striped        -            -  4  to  5 

*  Picta  Magniflora,  (Wells's)  yellow,  edged  with  red  -      3  to  4 

*  Picta  Perfecta,  (Harris's)  crimson,  shaded  with  black  -  5  to  6 
Pink  Perfection,  compact  flower,  cupped  petals  -  -  4  to  5 
Pindarus,  (Wells's)  yellow,  tipped  with  red  -  4  to  5 
Pre-eminent,  (Bark's)  rich  rosy  crimson        -            -  4  to  5 

*  Premier,  (Bowman's)  beautiful  cupped  yellow  -  3  to  4 
t  President  Van  Buren    (Makenzie's)  bronzy  rose  *      4  to  J>, 

*  President,  (Wilmer's)  dark  purple,  well  formed        -  -       5  to  6 
:   *  Prima  Donna,  (Squibb's)  blush,  tinted  with  rosy  lilac  -      5  to  6 

$  Princess  of  Beauties,  white,  shaded  with  rose            -  •      4  to  5 

7* 


78 


DAHLIA    CATALOGUE. 


t    Denotes  American  Seedlings.  *  Free  Bloomers.   §  New  Varieties. 

*  Princess  Victoria,  (WidnalVs)  white,  edged  with  purple, 
Purple  Perfection,  (Elphinstone' s)  fine  cupped  flower 
§  Purple  Unique  (Allman's)  fine  glossy  purple 

*  Queen  of  Beauties,  (Wells's,)  white,  tipped  with  blood  red 

*  Queen  Elizabeth,  (Brown's,)  mottled  purple  and  white 
§  Queen  of  Iesmond,  white,  with  purple  stripes 

of  Spain,  (Downing' s,)  white,  laced  with  purple    - 

of  Trumps,  (Elphinstone' s,)  extra  fine  shaded  rose  - 

Victoria,  (Fowler's,)  white,  laced  with  purple 

*  Victoria,  (Gaines's,)  pure  white,  cupped  petals 

Victoria,  (Hodge's,)  blush,  laced  with  carmine 

*  Quilled  Perfection,  (Brown's,)  beautiful  shaded  crimson     - 

*  Rainbow,  (WidnalVs,)  purple  and  crimson  shaded   - 
Red  Rover,  (  Girling' s,)  dark  red,  showy  flower 

*  Reliance,  (WidnalVs,)  orange,  margined  with  buff  - 

*  Rienzi,  (WidnalVs,)  crimson  and  puce, mottled 
Ringleader,  (Wilmer's,)  beautiful  mottled  rose 
Rising  Sun,  (WidnalVs,)  large  bright  scarlet    - 
§  Rival  President,  (Elliot's,)  dark  puce,  splendidly  formed    - 

*  Rival  Purple,  (Taylor's,)  extra  large  flower  - 
Rival  Queen,  white,  margined  with  pink  ... 
*"  Rival  Rose,  (Goodwin's,)  superb  ruby  rose,  cupped 
Rival  Sussex,  (Holman's,)  beautiful  maroon    - 
Rival  Sussex,  (Stanford's,)  fine  dark  puce        ... 
Rival  Yellow.  (Jackson's,)  brilliant  yellow         ... 

*  Robert  Buist,  (Young's,)  white,  laced  with  purple   - 
Robert  Burt,  (Jackson's,)  rich  dark  red 
Robert  L'  Diable,  (Cormack's,)  very  dark  puce^ 
Rose  de  Amour,  (Brewer's,)  rosy  pink,  tipped  with  white      - 

*  Rosa  Superba,  (Elphinstone  s,)  extra  fine  ruby  rose 
Rose  of  Shannon,  (Catleugh's,)  splendid  rose 
§  Rose  Superior,  (Girling's,)  very  splendid  perfect  flower    - 

*  Rosetta,  (Mayhew's,)  fine  ruby  rose  ... 

*  Royal  Adelaide,  or  Gem,  (Brown's,)  white,  edged  with  rose 

*  Royal  Standard,  (Whale's,)  rich  rosy  purple 
Ruby,  (Girhng's,)  ruby  rose     - 
Salamander,  (WidnalVs,)  extra  large  scarlet     - 

*  Scarlet  Perfection,  (Elphinstone' s,)  unrivalled  cupped  flower 
Scarlet  Perfection,  (Knight's,)  extra  rich  flower 
*■  Sir  Henry  Fletcher,  fine  rosy  crimson 

*  Sir  Johrj  Seabright,  (Salter's,)  superb  rich  crimson 


HEIGHT 
IN   FEET. 

3  to  4 
6  to  7 

3  to  4 

5  to  6 

6  to  7 

4  to  5 
4  to  5 
4  to  5 
4  to  5 
4  to  5 
4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

5  to  6 

•  5  to  6 
4  to  5 

•  5  to  6 

6  to  7 

•  5  to  6 

■  5  to  6 

•  4  to  5 

-  3  to  4 

-  4  to  5 

-  4  to  5 

-  6  to  7 

-  4  to  5 

■  4  to  5 

-  5  to  6 

-  5  to  6 

-  5  to  6 

-  4  to  5 

-  5  to  6 

-  4  to  5 

4  to  5 
6  to  7 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  G 
4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 


DAHLFA    CATALOGUE.  79 

t  Dsnote«  American  Seedlings.    *  Free  Bloomers.  §  New  Varieties. 


Splendissima,  (Allman's,)  splendid  purple      - 
§  Springall  Conqueror,  darkest  flower  known 
Springfield  Rival,  (lnicoed's,)  fine  rosy  cupped,  crimson 
Springfield  Major,  (Game's,)  large  dark  crimson  purple 
Star  of  Buckland  crimson,  tipped  with  white  ... 
Star,  (Broicn's,)  extra  fine  scarlet  .... 

*  St.  Leonard's  Rival,  bright  rosy  lilac 

*  Striatta  Fonnosisima,  (Bates's,)  Carnation  striped,  beautiful 
§  Striped  Perfection,  (Case's,)  maroon,  striped  with  purple 
Striped  Unique,  (Girling's,)  orange,  striped  with  scarlet 

*  Suffolk  Hero,  (Girling's,)  splendid  crimson  maroon 

*  Sulphurea  Elegans,  (Jones's.)  sulphur,  often  tinged  with  red 
Summum  Bonum,  (Girling's,)  purple  bronze 

*  Siinbury  Hero,  (Wilmer's,)  yellow,  tipped  with  red 

*  Surpasse  Triumph  Royal,  durably  fine,  scarlet  ruby 
Sussex  Defiance,  (Elphinstone's,)  chocolate,  very  rare 

*  Sylph,  (Widnall's,)  whitej. deeply  edged  with  rose  - 
Sylvesta,  white,  sometimes  tinted  with  lilac 

*  Sylvia,  (Widnall's,)  pale  rose,  finely  cupped 
Symmetry,  (Douglas's.)  handsome  dark  crimson 

*  Topaz,  (Girling's,)  fine  golden  yellow 

*  Tower  of  Sarum,  (Wilmer's,)  rich  rosy  crimson 
Triumphant,  (Jeffrie's,)  purple,  finely  cupped 

*  Unique,  (Ansell's,)  light  yellow,  tipped  with  red      - 
Venosa,  (Wheeler's,)  blush,  margined  with  rosy  crimson 

*  Victoria  Regina,  (Harris's)  beautiful  blush  - 

*  Victory,  (Knight  Js,)  rich  dark  crimson 
Village  Maid,  white,  edged  with  lilac    - 
§  Virgin  Queen,  pure  white,  finely  formed  flower 
Viscountess  of  Beresford,  dark  crimson,  tipped  with  white     - 
Warminster  Rival,  extra  bright  purple 
t  Washington,  white,  inclining  to  blush  - 
Waterloo  Scarlet  (Catleugh's,)  orange  scarlet,  cupped 

*  Wonder,  (Green's,)  white,  laced  with  rosy  lilac,  splendid   - 

*  Wormley  Star,  (Spier's,)  vivid  scarlet 
§  Yellow    Defiance,    (Cox's,)    splendid  flower,  the  roots  of 

which  were  selling  rin  London,   Nov.  1839,  at  £15  ster- 
ling, equal  to  Sixlysix  dollars 

*  Yellow  Perfection,  (Stone's.)  extra  fine  dark  yellow 
t  Yemassee,  (Arnold's,)  crimson  maroon,  always  perfect 
f  Yorkshire  Hero,  splendid  ruby  rose  - 


HEIGHT 

IN  FEET. 

5  to  6 

4  to  S 

6  to  7 

6  to  8 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

5  to  6 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

5  to  6 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

4  to  5 

6  to  7 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

6  to  7 

4  to  5 

4  to  5 

4  to  5r 

4  to  5' 

80*  DOUBLE   DAHLIA. 

"^Denotes  Aanerican  Seedlings.    *  Free  Bloomers.    §  New  Varieties.         HEIGHT 

IN    FEET. 

*  Zeno,  (Elphinstone's,)  beautiful  purple,  blended  with  white      4  to  5 
Zitella,  fine  rosy  pink    -  -  -  -  -  3  to  4 

*  Zolermio,  (Priestley's,)  clear  deep  yellow    -  -  5  to  6 


As  some  amateurs  are  apt  to  fancy,  that  the  most  econo- 
mical method  of  obtaining  a  supply  of  Dahlias  in  their 
gardens,  is  to  raise  them  from  seed,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
remind  such,  that  the  trouble  and  expense  of  raising  any 
quantity  of  seedlings,  is  equal  to  that  attending  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  same  number  of  the  choicest  varieties  ;  and 
when  it  is  considered  that  the  greatest  proportion  of  a  plan- 
tation may  be  single,  and  semi-double,  and  that  but  few 
double-flowering  plants  can  be  expected,  equal  to  those 
above  described,  it  must  appear  evident  that  it  is  the  inte- 
rest of  such  persons  as  desire  to  have  their  gardens  unin- 
cumbered with  plants  that  are  not  calculated  to  ornament 
the  same,  to  procure  plants  or  roots  of  such  varieties  as 
have  been  tested,  and  highly  recommended,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  those  described  in  the  preceding  catalogue,  and 
also  those  which  are  generally  sold  by  the  regular  florists. 
But  as  I  am  writing  for  young  gardeners,  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  state,  that  although  new  varieties  are  usually  raised 
from  seed  of  the  finest  double  flowers,  some  successful  pro- 
pagators prefer  that  procured  from  semi-double  varieties. 
Sow  seed  towards  the  end  of  February,  or  early  in  March, 
in  pots,  and  plunge  them  in  a  moderate  hot-bed,  or  seed 
may  be  deposited  in  the  earth  of  the  beds  in  shallow  drills, 
and  the  beds  attended  to  as  directed  in  Ihe  calender  for 
February  and  March. 

Nothing  is  more  simple  than  the  cultivation  of  Dahlia 
roots.  In  March  or  April,  they  will,  if  properly  kept  through 
the  Winter,  begin  to  sprout  around  the  old  stems  and 
tubers.     To  forward  these  sprouts  in  growth,  the  roots  should 


DOUBLE   DAHLIA.  81 

be  either  buried  in  light  earth,  on  the  top  of  a  moderate  hot- 
bed, or  else  potted,  and  then  set  in  a  warm  room,  or  green- 
house, and  watered.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  grown  to 
the  length  of  two  or  three  inches,  the  roots  may  be  divided 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  have  a  good  strong  shoot  attached 
to  a  piece  of  the  tuber,  or  old  stem  ;  each  of  these  will,  if 
properly  managed,  make  a  plant.*  Those  who  may  com- 
mence cultivating  at  an  early  season,  should  put  the  plants 
thus  separated  into  small  pots,  and  keep  them  in  a  growing 
state  until  about  the  middle  of  May,  at  which  time  they  may 
be  turned  out  of  the  pots  with  the  balls  of  earth  entire,  and 
planted  in  the  open  borders,  from  three  to  four  feet  from  each 
other.  Let  the  ground  be  well  pulverized,  and  enriched 
with  good  old  manure,  before  the  plants  are  set  out.  If  the 
top  soil  be  shallow,  and  the  subsoil  inferior,  it  would  be 
beneficial  to  the  plants,  if  holes  be  dug  to  the  depth  of  from 
a  foot  to  eighteen  inches,  and  then  replenished  with  good 
rich  compost,  consisting  of  two-thirds  fresh  loam,  and  one 
third  of  well  rotted  manure. 

Many  cultivators  have  found  late  planting  to  suit  better 
than  early,  and  I  myself  have  had  more  perfect  flowers, 
from  plants  set  out  about  the  middle  of  June,  than  from 
those  planted  in  May  :  this  is  easily  accounted  for.  In  July 
and  August  the  weather  is  generally  hot,  which  brings 
the  forwardest  plants  into  bud  at  an  early  season,  and 
in  the  event  of  a  continuation  of  hot  dry  weather,  such 
buds  fail  to  produce  perfect  flowers  ;  whereas  those  plants 
which  are  set  out  late,  keep  growing  through  the  hot 
weather,  and  produce  their  buds  just  in  time  to  receive  all 
the  benefit  of  the  Autumnal  rains.    From  a  consideration  of 


*  In  order  to  obtain  an  extra  number  of  plants  from  any  choice  varieties; 
cuttings  are  frequently  taken  from  the  shoots,  when  about  three  inches  in 
length  which  are  planted  in  nursery  pots,  and  cultivated  in  hot-beds,  these 
require  to  be  shaded  from  the  sun,  by  mats,  for  the  first  fortnight,  after 
which  they  may  begradually  inured  to  the  air,  and  treated  as  plants  raise 
in  tho  ordinary  way. 


82  GLADIOLUS,  CORN  FLAG,  OR  SWORD  LILY. 

these  circumstances,  I  think  early  in  June  the  safest  time  to 
set  out  Dahlia  plants ;  and  if  those  persons  who  have  no  con- 
venience of  forcing  their  roots,  set  them  out  in  May,  in 
ground  prepared  as  before  directed,  they  will  generally  suc- 
ceed very  well,  provided  they  take  care  to  cover  them  incase 
of  a  cold  change  of  weather.  The  roots  may  be  thus  cul- 
tivated entire,  as  is  frequently  done  ;  but  if  it  be  desired  to 
have  them  parted,  this  business  can  be  easily  accomplished 
without  disturbing  the  roots,  and  the  offsets  may  be  planted 
in  the  ground  seperately  or  potted. 

Previous  to  setting  out  the  plants,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
provide  for  their  preservation  through  the  varied  changes  of 
the  season,  or  a  sudden  gust  of  wind  may  destroy  the  expec- 
tations of  a  year.  The  branches  of  the  Dahlia  are  extremely 
brittle,  and,  therefore,  a  good  stout  pole,  or  neat  stake,  should 
be  driven  down  near  each  root,  of  a  suitable  height,  so  that 
the  branches  as  they  progress  in  growth,  may  be  tied  thereto 
at  every  joint,  which  may  be  done  with  shreds  of  matting  or 
twine.  If  the  poles  be  in  readiness,  they  are  much  more  easily 
fixed  at  the  time  of  planting  the  Dahlias  than  afterwards  ;  but 
it  may  be  done  at  any  time  after  the  ground  has  been  soft- 
ened by  rain,  provided  it  be  not  delayed  too  long,  so  as  to 
subject  the  plants  to  risk.  Sometimes  a  few  forward  buds 
of  the  Dahlias  will  exhibit  their  premature  beauties  to  the 
beams  of  a  July  and  August  sun ;  but  their  lustre  is  quickly 
dimmed.  The  latter  end  of  September,  sometimes  all  Oc- 
tober, and  part  of  November,  witness  the  Dahlia  in  all  its 
glory  ;  and  dwarf  plants,  cultivated  in  pots,  will  sometimes 
blossom  at  Christmas  ;  but  they  require  more  than  ordinary 
care,  at  a  late  period  of  their  growth. 


GLADIOLUS,  CORN-FLAG,  OR  SWORD  LILY. 

Of  this  genus  of  bulbs  there  are  about  fifty  species,  natives 
of  the  Cape  of  Good   Hope.     They   produce    flowers   of 


GLADIOLUS,    CORN    FLAG,    OR  SWORD  LILY.  83 

various  colours,  in  August  and  September,  and  are  well 
worthy  the  attention  of  those  who  cultivate  tender  exotic 
plants.  They  may  be  planted  in  September  or  October, 
about  an  inch  deep  in  pots,  which  must  be  kept  in  a  green- 
house or  light  room,  and  watered  sparingly  until  they  begin 
to  grow.  The  following  are  known  to  be  superb  species 
and  varieties  : 

G.  alatus,  or  Wing-Flowered,  producing  bright  orange 
coloured  flowers. 

G.  blandus  produces  flowers  of  a  beautiful  blush  rose 
colour. 

G.  Byzantium,  or  Turkish  Flag,  has  large  delicate 
purple  flowers. 

G.  cardinalis.  This  variety  produces  very  large  flowers 
of  superb  scarlet,  spotted  with  white. 

G.  floriburidus,  or  cluster  flower,  produces  large  flowers, 
of  white  and  pink  colour. 

The  Gladiolus  Natalensis,  or  Psitacinna,  is  perhaps  the 
most  desirable  to  cultivate  of  all  others.  It  blossoms  freely, 
and  the  colours  arc  exquisitely  beautiful.  In  its  progress  of 
blooming,  it  exhibits  variable  colours,  as  vermilion,  red, 
yellow,  green,  white,  crimson,  &c,  which  brighten,  as 
the  flower  arrives  at  perfection,  to  the  brilliancy  of  a  rain- 
bow. Another  good  quality  displays  itself  in  the  bulb, 
which,  if  properly  managed,  will  yield  an  abundaiace  of 
offsets  ;  these  being  cultivated,  will  flower  the  third  year  in 
perfection,  and  thus  continue  to  multiply  perpetually. 

I  have  named  September  and  October  as  the  season  for 
planting,  because  it  is  considered  the  preferable  season  for 
most  bulbs ;  but  if  these  be  preserved  in  good  condition 
through  the  Winter  until  early  in  April,  and  then  planted  in 
a  soil  consisting  of  about  one  half  fresh  loam,  equal  parts 
of  leaf  mould,  and  sand  well  mixed,  they  may  be  forwarded 
in  a  warm  room,  green-house,  or  moderate  hot-bed,  until 
settled  warm  weather,  and  then  turned  out  of  the  pots  into 
a   border,   where   they   can  be  shaded  from   the   sun    at 


84  HYACINTH. 

noonday  ;  this  will  induce  each  of  them  to  throw  up  three 
or  four  stems  from  three  to  four  feet  high,  each  stem  pro- 
ducing five  or  six  gorgeous  blossoms,  in  great  perfection. 
Those  planted  in  the  Autumn  or  Winter,  may  also  be  turned 
out  of  the  pots  in  June;  and,  from  the  fibres  having  taken 
substantial  root  in  the  soil  before  transplanting,  such  plants 
may  be  taken  up  again  in  August,  or  early  in  September  ; 
and  on  being  planted  in  large  pots,  they  may  be  removed, 
so  as  to  perfect  their  bloom,  within  view  of  the  parlour  or 
sitting-room,  which  will  afford  considerable  amusement  and 
gratification. 

HYACINTH. 

"  Hail  to  thee  !  hail,  thou  lovely  flower ! 
Still  shed  around  thy  sweet  perfume, 
Still  smile  amid  the  Wintry  hour, 
And  boast  e'en  then  a  Spring-tide  bloom. 
Thus  hope,  'mid  life's  severest  days, 
Still  smiles,  still  triumphs  o'er  despair; 
Alike  i*he  lives  in  pleasure's  rays, 
And  cold  affliction's  Winter  air." 

There  are,  as  has  been  already  stated,  about  thirteen 
hundred  varieties  of  this  family  of  plants,  comprising  all  the 
various  hues,  as  white,  pink,  red,  yellow,  blue,  purple, 
crimson,  &c.  and  some  of  those  with  various  coloured  eyes. 
They  begin  to  produce  their  flowers  in  the  open  borders 
early  in  April,  on  short  erect  stems  covered  with  florets  or 
small  bells  ;  each  floret  is  well  filled  with  petals  rising 
towards  the  centre,  and  is  suspended  from  the  stem  by  short 
strong  footstalks,  the  longest  at  the  bottom,  and  the  upper- 
most florets  stand  so  erect  as  to  form  a  pyramid.  A  planta- 
tion, or  a  bed  of  these,  have  a  very  beautiful  appearance,  pro- 
vided they  are  well  attended  to.  In  planting  them,  which 
should  be  in  the  months  of  October  or  November,  care  should 
be  taken  to  have  the  colours  so  diversified  as  to  suit  the  fancy ; 


IRIS,  OR   FLOWER  DE  LUCE.  85 

they  may  be  placed  in  short  rows  across  the  bed,  about  eight 
inches  apart,  and  from  three  to  four  inches  deep,  measuring 
from  the  top  of  the  bulb,  and  covered  up  at  the  setting  in  of 
Winter,  as  before  recommended  for  bulbs  in  general. 

Those  who  may  have  a  fine  collection,  should  have  an 
awning  erected  in  the  Spring,  to  screen  them  from  the 
chilling  blast,  and  also  from  drenching  rains  and  the  noon- 
day sun  ;  and  they  should  be  looked  over  as  soon  as  they 
make  their  appearance  above  ground,  to  see  if  they  are  all 
perfect  and  regular;  if  faulty  or  inferior  bulbs  should  appear 
to  have  been  planted  in  a  conspicuous  part  of  the  bed,  by 
accident  or  mistake,  they  can  be  taken  out,  and  by  short- 
ening the  rows,  others  may  be  substituted  with  a  trowel. 
When  all  are  regulated,  look  over  them  frequently,  and  as 
the  stems  shoot  up,  tie  them  to  wires,  or  small  rods,  with 
shreds  of  bass  matting  or  thread,  being  careful  not  to  injure 
the  florets.  In  about  six  weeks  after  they  have  done  flower- 
ing, the  bulbs  may  be  taken  up,  and  managed  as  recommen- 
ded for  bulbs  in  general,  in  a  former  page. 


IRIS,  OR  FLOWER  DE  LUCE. 


There  are  two  distinct  species  of  plants  cultivated  under 
the  name  of  Flower  de  Luce,  each  consisting  of  several 
varieties.  The  bulbous  species  and  varieties  are  designated 
as  English,  Spanish,  Chalcedonian,  and  American.  These, 
if  introduced  into  the  flower  borders,  and  intermixed  with 
perennial  plants  of  variable  colours,  have  a  very  pretty 
appearance  when  planted  in  clumps  or  patches.  This  may 
be  done  in  the  month  of  October,  by  taking  out  a  spadeful 
of  earth  from  each  place  alloted  for  a  plant,  and  then 
inserting  three  or  four  bulbs,  about  two  inches  deep.  If  the 
ground  be  poor,  some  rich  compost  may  be  dug  in  around 
the  spot  before  the  bulbs  are  planted,  and  if  several  sorts  be 

8 


S6  IXIAS JONQUILS — LACHENALIAS. 

planted  in  the  same  border,  let  them  be  of  various  colours. 
—  The  tuberous-rooted  are  of  various  colours,  as  blue, 
yellow,  brown,  and  spotted  ;  they  are  easily  cultivated,  and 
flower  freely  in  a  loose  soil  inclining  to  moisture,  if  planted 
in  March  or  April. 


IXIAS. 


These  are  tender,  but  very  free-flowering  bulbs,  producing 
on  their  stems,  which  vary  in  height  from  six  inches  to  two 
feet,  very  delicate  flowers  of  various  colours,  as  orange, 
blush,  white,  purple,  green,  crimson,  scarlet,  and  some  have 
two  and  three  colours  connected  in  the  same  plant. 

There  are,  in  all,  upwards  of  twenty  species,  which  may 
be  cultivated  in  the  green-house,  by  planting  the  bulbs 
in  pots  in  September  or  October,  and  placing  them  near 
the  light,  and  then  watering  them  sparingly  until  they 
begin  to  shoot. 

JONQUILS. 

This  is  a  hardy  race  of  bulbs,  and  produces  very  delicate 
yellow  flowers  early  in  May.  There  are  different  varieties, 
some  of  which  are  single-flowering,  and  others  double. 
Their  fragrance  is  very  grateful,  being  similar  to  that  of 
Jasmines.  The  bulbs  may  be  planted  about  two  inches 
deep  in  the  flower  borders,  or  in  pots,  in  October,  or  before 
the  setting  in  of  Winter  ;  they  flower  better  the  second  year 
than  in  the  first,  and,  therefore,  should  not  be  moved  and 
replanted  oftener  than  once  in  three  years. 


LACHENALIAS. 

These  are  tender  little  bulbs,  natives  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.     There  are  supposed  to  be  in  all  about  forty  species 


LILIES.  87 

and  varieties.  Those  most  cultivated  with  us,  are  the 
Lachenalia  quadri-color,  and  L.  tri  color,  which  are 
very  beautiful  when  in  lull  bloom,  exhibiting  flowers  of 
various  colours  on  a  stem  of  from  six  inches  to  a  foot  in 
height,  and  much  in  the  character  of  Hyacinths.  The 
colours  which  are  yellow,  scarlet,  orange,  green,  &c.,  are 
very  pure  and  distinct.  L.  nervosa,  L.  orchoides,  L.  punc- 
tata, and  L.  rubida,  are  all  excellent  species  and  worthy  oj 
cultivation.  They  may  be  planted  from  one  to  two  inches 
deep,  in  small  pots,  in  the  month  of  August  and  September, 
and  watered  but  sparingly  until  they  begin  to  grow. 


LILIES. 


There  are  several  plants  under  this  name,  of  different 
genera,  some  of  which  are  indigenous.  The  Canada  Lily, 
with  yellow  spotted  drooping  flowers,  may  be  seen  in  wet 
meadows  towards  the  last  of  June,  and  early  in  July.  The 
Philadelphia  Lily  blooms  also  in  July  ;  its  flowers  are  red- 
There  are  some  pure  white,  and  others  yellow,  growing  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  Among  the  foreign  genera 
are  severai  i-pecies.  Of  the  Martagon,  or  Turk's-cap  Lilies, 
there  are  some  beautiful  varieties  ;  as  the  Caligula,  which 
produces  scarlet  flowers;  and  there  is  one  called  the  Crown 
of  Tunis,  of  purple  colour  ;  besides  these,  are  the  Double 
Violet  Flamed,  the  White,  the  Orange,  and  the  Spotted  ; 
these  are  all  hardy,  and  may  be  planted  in  various  parts  of 
the  garden,  by  taking  out  a  scpiare  foot  of  earth,  and  then, 
after  man  ring  and  pulverizing  it,  the  bulbs  may  be  planted 
therein  before  the  setting  in  of  Winter,  at  different  depths, 
from  two  to  four  inches,  according  to  the  size  of  the  bulbs. 
Some  of  the  Chinese  varieties  are  very  beautiful,  as  the 
Tiger,  or  Leopard  Lily,  and  the  dwarf  red  Lilium  con 
colour.      There  are  others  with  elegant  silver  stripes,  which 


88  NARCISSUS. 

are  very  showy,  and  there  is  one  called  Lilium  snperbum, 
that  has  been  known  to  have  had  twenty-five  flowers  on  a 
stalk. 

Besides  those  above  enumerated,  there  are  some  others 
which  are  generally  cultivated  in  greenhouses,  as  the  Calla, 
or  Ethiopian  Lily  ;  and  the  following  which  have  been 
known  to  endure  our  Winters,  by  protecting  them  with 
dung,  &c.  Lilium  longiflorum,  in  two  varieties  ;  these  pro- 
duce on  their  stalks,  which  grow  from  twelve  to  eighteen 
inches  high,  beautiful  rose-coloured  flowers,  streaked  with 
white,  which  are  \ery  sweet-scented.  These  roots  are 
sometimes  kept  out  of  the  ground  until  Spring,  and  then 
planted  in  the  flower  borders,  but  they  should  be  preserved 
carefully  in  sand,  or  dry  mould.  Lilium  Japonicum.  Of 
these  there  are  two  varieties,  which  produce  several  stalks  at 
once,  yielding  very  showy  flowers.  One  of  the  varieties  is 
blue  flowered,  and  the  other  produces  flowers  of  the  purest 
white. 


NARCISSUS, 

The  species  and  varieties  of  this  plant  are  numerous. 
The  Incomparable  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  produces  its 
flowers  in  April,  which  are  called  by  some  pasc/ie  or  paus 
flowers,  by  others,  butter  and  eggs;  perhaps  because  their 
bright  yellow  petals  are  surrounded  whith  large  white  ones. 
Some  persons  dislike  the  smell  of  these,  and  it  is  said  that 
the  odour  has  a  pernicious  effect  upon  the  nerves;  but  the 
white  fragrant  double,  as  well  as  the  Roman  and  Poly- 
anthus Narcissus,  are  free  from  this  objection,  being  of  a 
very  grateful  and  agreeable  smell.  Some  of  these  are  justly 
held  in  great  esteem  for  their  earliness,  as  well  as  for  their 
varied  colours.  The  Grand  Monarque  de  France,  the  Belle 
Legoise,  and  some  others,  have  white  flowers  with  yellow 
cups.     The   Glorieux  has  a  yellow  ground,  with  orange- 


ORNITHOGALUM,  OR  STAR  OF  BETHLEHEM.  89 

coloured  cups  ;  besides  these  are  some  white  and  citron- 
coloured,  as  the  Lima,  and  others  entirely  white,  as  the 
Rein  Blanche,  and  Morgenstcr.  All  these  varieties  are  very 
suitable  either  for  the  parlour  or  greenhouse,  and  maybe 
planted  in  pots,  from  October  to  December,  from  two  to  three 
inches  deep.  The  double  Roman  Narcissus  are  very  sweet- 
scented  ;  if  these  be  planted  in  pots,  or  put  into  bulb  glasses 
in  the  month  of  October,  they  will  flower  in  January  and 
February. 

Polyanthus  Narcissus  are  more  delicate  than  Hyacinths 
or  Tulips  ;  when  they  are  planted  in  the  open  border,  they 
should  be  covered  about  four  inches  with  earth,  and  before 
the  setting  in  of  Winter,  it  is  advisable  to  cover  the  beds 
with  straw,  leaves,  or  litter,  to  the  depth  of  six  or  seven 
inches,  and  to  uncover  them  about  the  middle  of  March. 


OR1NTHOGALUM,  OR  STAR  OF  BETHLEHEM. 

There  are  about  fifty  varieties  of  these  bulbs,  natives  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  some  of  which  are  from  three  to 
five  inches  in  diameter,  and  shaped  similar  to  a  pear; 
others  are  much  like  Hyacinth  bulbs. — Among  those  culti- 
vated in  America  are  the  O.  lacteum  and  the  O.  aureum  ; 
the  former  produces  fine  white  flowers,  and  the  spike  is 
about  a  foot  in  length  ;  the  latter  produces  flowers  of  a 
golden  colour,  in  contracted  racemose  corymbs.  The 
O.  maritimum,  or  Sea  Squill,  is  curious  ;  from  the  centre  of 
the  root  arise  several  shining  glaucous  leaves,  a  foot  long, 
two  inches  broad  at  the  base,  and  narrowing  to  a  point.  If 
kept  in  a  greenhouse,  these  are  grten  during  Winter,  and 
decay  in  the  Spring  :  then  the  flower-stalk  comes  up  rising 
two  feet,  naked  half  way,  and  terminated  by  a  pyramidal 
thyrse  of  white  flowers. 

8* 


I 


yU  OXALIS — P^ONY. 

These  bulbs  are  generally  cultivated  in  the  greenhouse, 
and  require  a  compost  consisting  of  about  one-half  fresh 
loam,  one-third  leaf  mould,  and  the  remainder  sand,  in 
which  they  may  be  planted  in  September.  \\  hen  cultiva- 
ted in  the  garden,  they  should  be  planted  four  or  five  inches 
deep,  and  protected  with  dung,  &c.  They  produce  their 
flowers  early  in  June. 


OXALIS. 

The  Oxalis  is  a  native  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ;  the 
species  are  numerous,  and  their  roots  are  very  small  bulbs, 
articulated,  jointed,  or  granulated,  in  a  manner  peculiar 
to  this  genus.  They  produce  curious  flowers  of  various 
hues,  yellow,  purple,  rose,,  red,  white,  striped,  vermilion 
colour,  &c.  The  bulbs  should  be  planted  in  very  small 
pots  in  August  and  September,  in  a  compost,  consisting  of 
about  two-thirds  loam,  and  one-third  leaf  or  light  mould, 
and  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  other  Cape  Bulbs. 
They  increase  in  a  peculiar  manner,  by  the  parent  bulb 
striking  a  fibre  down  from  ils  base,  at  the  extremity  of  which 
is  produced  a  new  bulb  for  the  next  years  plant,  the  old 
one  perishing.  These  plants  will  flower  freely  in  a  green- 
house. 


PiEONST. 

"  Pceonia  round  each  fiery  ring  unfurls, 

Bares  to  the  noon's  bright  blaze  her  sanguine  juris." 

Of  tliia  genus  of  splendid  plants  there  are  kaown  to  be 
about  twenty  species,  and  as  many  varieties.  It  is  said 
that  tlif  ' Pceonia  officinalis  rubra,  or  common  double  red 
Peeony,  was  introduced  into  Antwerp  upwards  of  two  centu- 
ries ago,  at  which  time  it  was  sold  at  an  enormous  price.  It 
has  since  b-en  highly  esteemed  in  Europe  and  America, 


P.EONY.  91 

and  is  to  be  found  in  all  well-established  gardens,  exhibiting 
its  vivid  crimson  petals  early  in  June.  Many  superb  species 
have  of  late  years  been  brought  from  China,  a  few  of  which 
may  be  noticed,  with  some  others  which  are  in  very  great 
repute. 

Pcconia  alba  Chhicnsisxs  one  of  the  finest  of  the  herba. 
ceous  sorts.  The  flowers  are  white,  tinged  with  pink  at 
the  bottom  of  the  petals. 

P.  edulis  whitliji  has  also  white  flowers,  which  are  very 
large  and  splendid. 

P.  edulis  fragrans,  is  a  fine  large  double  scarlet  variety, 
and  produces  flowers  perfumed  like  the  rose. 

P.  Jiumci  has  beautiful  large  double  dark  blush-coloured 
flowers. 

P.  paradoxa  Jimbriata,  produces  fringed  double  red 
flowers,  which  are  very  beautiful. 

These  are  all  hardy,  and  may  be  planted  about  four 
inches  deep  in  the  garden,  in  October  or  IVovember.  The 
flowers  exhibit  themselves  to  the  best  advantage,  when 
planted  on  a   bed   that  is  elevated,  and  of  a  circular  form. 

The  following  are  half  hardy  and  half  shrubby  ;  these 
have  been  known  to  survive  the  Winter  by  being  well  pro- 
tected, but  are  kept  much  better  in  a  greenhouse  ;  and  they 
also  exhibit  their  flowers  to  greater  advantage  than  when 
exposed  to  the  full  sum. 

P  rnoutcm  Ihaiksii,  or  Tree  Pceony,  produces  very  large 
double  blush  flowers  hi  abundance,  with  feathered  edges  to 
every  petal.     This  variety  is  highly  deserving  of  cultivation. 

P.  mojt  ■'-  ¥*o$ea  \>  a  fine  rose-coloured  double  variety, 
and  produces  very  splendid  flowers. 

P.  ni'iutan  papaveracea  produces  very  large  white  flowers, 
with  pink  centres.  This  splendid  variety  frequently  bears 
flowers  from  nine  to  eleven  inches  in  diameter. 

Besides  the  above,  are  several  others  of  various  colours, 
some  of    Vcli  are  genii  double. 


92 
TULIP. 

"  For  brilliant  tints  to  charm  the  eye, 
What  plant  can  with  the  tulip  vie? 
Yet  no  delicious  scent  it  yields 
To  cheer  the  garden,  or  the  fields ; 
Vainly  in  gandy  colours  drest, 
'Tis  rather  gazed  on  than  caressed." 

The  Tulip  is  a  native  of  the  Levant,  and  has  been  in 
cultivation  nearly  three  centuries.  It  may  be  justly  entitled 
the  King  of  Flowers,  for  the  brilliancy  and  endless  com" 
bination  of  all  colours  and  shades.  The  varieties  of  the 
Tulip  are  very  numerous,  and  are  divided  into  different 
classes.  Those  cultivated  in  regular  beds  by  amateurs  are 
rose-coloured,  byblocmen  and  bizarres.  There  are  a  great 
many  beautiful  varieties,  denominated  Pdrrot  Tulips,  which 
have  notched  petals,  and  striped  or  diversified  with  green  • 
and  also  some  very  dwarfish  kinds,  both  single  and  double, 
which  are  generally  cultivated  in  parlours  and  greenhouses. 

Mr.  T.  Hogg,  of  Paddington,  near  Lond'm,  has  pub- 
lished a  work,  entitled,  "  A  Treatise  on  the  Cultivation  of 
Florists'  Flowers,"  which  comprises  the  Tulip,  Carnation, 
Auricula,  Ranunculus,  Polyanthus,  Dahlia,  German  and 
China  Asters,  Seedling  Heartsease,  and  New  Annuals.  In 
that  work,  which  is  dedicated  to  Queen  Adelaide,  the  author 
remarks  that  the  cultivation  of  the  Tulip  is  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  and  pleasing  pursuits  imaginable,  and  that  when 
the  "  Tulip  mania  has  fairly  got  hold  of  any  one,  it  sticks 
to  him  like  the  skin  on  his  back,  and  remains  with  him  the 
rest  of  his  life."  He  instances  a  Mr.  Davey,  of  Chelsea, 
as  being  in  his  seventy-fifth  year,  and  in  whose  breast  the 
fancy  for  Tulips  was  so  predominant,  that  in  the  Autumn  of 
1832,  he  wTas  induced  to  part  with  a  hundred  sovereigns  for 
one  single  Tulip,  named  "Miss  Fanny  Kemble."  Perhaps 
abetter  definition  of  what  constitutes  the  properties  of  a 
good  Tulip,  conld  not  be  given  than  a  description  of  this 
"  precious  gem,  or  loveliest  of  all  Tulips  ;"  but,  lest  my 


TULIP. 


93 


readers  should  conclude  that  the  old  gentleman  was  in  his 
dotage,  I  would  inform  them  that  this  favorite  bulb  was 
purchased  of  the  executors  of  the  late  Mr.  Clarke,  with 
whom  it  originated,  and  that  it  had  not  only  been  the  pet  of 
its  late  owner,  but  had  excited  the  envy  and  admiration  of 
all  the  amateurs  who  went  to  view  it. 

"  This  precious  gem,  a  bybloemen  Tulip,  was  raised  from 
one  of  Mr.  Clarke's  seedling  breeders,  and  broke  into  colour 
three  years  ago  ;  it  has  produced  two  offsets  since,  and  is 
adapted  to  the  second  or  third  row  in  the  bed ;  the  stem  is 
firm  and  elasiic;  the  foliage  full  and  broad,  of  a  lively 
green  ;  the  cup  large,  and  of  the  finest  form  ;  the  white 
pure  and  wholly  free  from  stain  ;  the  pencilling  on  the 
petals  is  beautifully  marked  with  black  or  dark  purple,  and 
the  feathering  uniform  and  elegant;  it  preserves  its  shape 
to  the  last,  the  outer  leaves  not  sinking  from  the  inner;  in 
a  word,  if  is  considered  the  first  flower  of  its  cast,  and  the 
best  that  has  ever  been  produced  in  England." 

The  arti  ;le  in  the  work  already  alluded  to,  on  the  culti- 
vation of  Tulips  alone,  occupies  ninety- six  pages  ;  I, 
therefore,  cannot  attempt  any  thing  more  than  an  abridge- 
ment of  the  author's  ideas  on  some  important  points. 
Those  of  my  readers  who  may  desire  full  information,  are 
referred  to  the  work  itself,  which  may  be  obtained  of  Mr. 
G.  C.  Thorburn. 

The  IV. lowing  description  may  serve  to  govern  the  choice 
of  amateurs  :  Tulips  exhibited  at  the  shows,  are,  in  general, 
classed  and  distinguished  as  follows:  Flamed  Ihzarres, 
Feathered  Bizarres,  Flamed  Bybluemens,  Feathered  By- 
bloemens,  Flamed  Roses,  Feathered  Roses,  and  Se/fs,  or 
plain-coloured. 

A  Bizane  Tulip  has  a  yellow  ground,  marked  with 
purple  or  scarlet  of  different  shade? ;  it  is  called  flamed 
when  a  broad  or  irregular  stripe  runs  up  the  middle  of  the 
petals,  with  short  abrupt  projecting  points,  branching  out 
on  each  side  ,  fine  narrow  lines,  called  arched  and  ribbed 


94 


TULIP. 


often  extend,  also,  from  this  broad  side  to  the  extremity 
of  the  leaves  ;  the  colour  generally  appearing  strongest  in 
the  inside  petals;  a  Tulip,  with  this  broad  coloured  stripe, 
which  is  sometimes  called  beamed  or  splashed,  is,  at  the 
same  time,  frequently  feathered  also. 

It  is  called  feathered  when  it  is  without  this  broad  stripe  ; 
but  yet  it  may  have  some  narrow  lines,  joined  or  detached, 
running  up  the  centre  of  the  leaf,  sometimes  branching  out 
and  carved  towards  the  top,  and  sometimes  without  any 
spot  or  line  at  all  ;  the  petals  are  feathered  more  or  less 
round  the  edges  or  margin  inside  and  out,  the  pencilling  or 
feathering  is  heavy  or  broad  in  some,  and  light  or  narrow 
in  others,  sometimes  with  breaks  or  gaps,  and  sometimes 
close  and  continued  all  round. 

A  Byblot-men  Tulip  has  a  white  ground,  lined,  marked, 
S'-riped  or  variegated  with  violet  or  purple,  only  of  various 
shades  ;  and  whether  feathered  or  flamed,  is  distinguished 
by  the  same  characters  and  marks  which  are  pointed  out 
and  applied  to  the  Bizarred  Tulips. 

A  Ross  Tulip  is  marked  or  variegated  with  rose,  scarlet, 
crimson  or  cherry  colour,  on  a  "white  ground  ;  and  the 
Feathered  Rose  is  to  be  distinguished  from  the  Flamed  by 
the  same  rules  as  described  before;  the  Rose  is  very  often 
both  feathered  and  flamed. 

A  Self,  or  plain-coloured  Tulip,  properly  so  called,  is 
either  white  or  yellow,  and  admits  of  no  further  change  ; 
other  plain-coloured  Tulips,  whether  red  or  purple,  are 
called  breeders,  and  are  hardly  worthy  of  being  exhibited. 
Mr.  Hogg  informs  us,  that  £100,  say  $500,  judiciously 
expended  at  the  present  time,  will  give  a  moderate  sized 
bed,  that  shall  contain  the  greater  part  of  the  finest  varieties 
grown  ;  such  a  bed  as  £*6Q  would  not  have  purchased 
twelve  or  fourteen  years  ago. 

To  describe  minutely  the  mode  of  planting  a  regular  bed 
of  Tulips  would  exceed  our  limits  ;  sufiice  it  to  state  that 
the  name   of  every  bulb  should  be  written  in  a  book,  and 


TULIPS.  95 

that  they  should  be  so  classed  as  to  have  the  varied  colours 
to  show  advantageously  ;  to  this  end,  the  tallest  should  be 
allotted  for  the  middle  of  the  bed,  and  others  in  regular 
gradations,  so  as  to  have  the  most  dwarfish  on  the  sides. 
The  bulbs  must  be  covered  with  good  mould,  to  the  depth 
of  three  inches  from  the  top  of  the  bulb  on  the  sides  of  the 
bed,  and  about  four  inches  in  the  middle.  Let  a  small 
spoonful  of  clean  drift  sand  be  used  around  each  bulb,  and 
see  that  the  bed  be  left  sufficiently  round  from  the  middle 
to  the  edges.  The  beginner  must  understand  that  no  un- 
sightly tallies,  or  number  sticks,  are  to  distinguish  the 
Tulips  ;  but  that  he  must  adopt  a  sort  of  ground  plan,  divi- 
ding the  whole  bed  into  rows  of  seven  bulbs  across  ;  for 
example,  take  and  write  down  the  names  and  places  of  the 
Tulips  in  the  first  row,  and  continue  the  same  form  all 
through  to  the  other  end  of  the  bed. 

Row  1st. 
No.  1.     Fenelon,    -     -     -.--     -     -     this  is  a  Bybloemen. 

2.  Duchess  of  Clarence,    -     -     Rose-coloured. 

3.  Charlemagne,       -     -     -     -     Bybloemen. 

4.  Louis  the  Sixteenth,      -     -  Bybloemen. 

5.  Memnon,  -----*•  Bizarre. 

6.  Volney,      ------  Bybloemen. 

7.  Lady  Crewe,       -     .     -     -  Rose-coloured, 

Good  fresh  loam,  taken  from  under  heallhy  grass  sods,  is 
the  most  suitable  soil  for  Tulips  to  grow  in  ;  under  which 
should  be  buried,  to  the  depth  of  afoot,  about  two  inches 
thickness  of  well  rotted  cow  or  horse  droppings.  The  reason 
for  placing  the  dung  so  low  is,  that  the  fibres  may  get  down 
to  it,  (which  they  will  do,)  and  that  the  bulbs  may  not 
be  injured  by  it,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  if  too  much  dung  is 
used  around  them.  The  best  time  for  planting  the  bulbs,  is 
early  in  November,  and  the  beds  should  be  made  a  fortnight 
previous, 'in  order  that  the  earth  may  become  sufficiently 
settled. 


96  TUBEROSE. — TIGER    FLOWER. 

If  severe  frosts  set  in,  after  the  Tulips  show  themselves 
above  ground  in  the  Spring,  some  protection  should  be 
given  ;  single  mats  placed  over  hoop  bends  answer  very 
well;  and  at  the  time  of  blooming,  an  awning  should  be 
erected  over  them,  sufficient  to  screen  the  Tulips  from  the 
intense  heat  of  the  sun,  which  awning  should  be  sufficiently 
spacious  to  admit  of  persons  walking  under  it,  to  view  the 
beautiful  flowers  to  the  greatest  possible  advantage. 


TUBEROSE. 

This  fragrant  and  delightful  flower  has  been  cultivated  in 
English  flower  gardens  for  upwards  of  two  ctnfuries;  there 
the  bulbs  are  generally  cultivated  in  pots  early  in  the  Spring, 
and  transferred  to  the  flower  borders  as  soon  as  it  becomes 
settled  warm  weather ;  for  they  are  very  tender.  They 
generally  succeed  very  well  here,  if  planted  at  once  in  the 
open  borders  towards  the  end  of  April,  and  produce  flowers 
whieh  are  pure  white,  and  highly  odoriferous,  on  a  stem 
from  three  to  four  feet  high. 

The  bulbs  produce  a  number  of  offsets,  which  should  be 
preserved  with  the  parent  plants  through  the  Winter,  anifl 
then  parted  oft*  and  planted  by  themselves  in  April  or  early 
in  May,  to  produce  flowering  roots  for  the  ensuing  year. 
These  roots  thrive  best  in  a  light  rich  soil,  well  pulverised, 
in  which  they  should  be  planted  about  two  inches  deep,  not 
.forgetting  to  take  them  up  again  before  the  approach  of 
Winter. 


TIGER  FLOWER. 

\    Perhaps  there  is  no  flower  treated  of  in  this  work,  that  is 
more   beautiful  than   some  of   the    species  of   the  genus 


TIGER   FLOWER.  §7 

Tigridia.  Like  all  Mexican  bulbs,  these  are  tender,  and 
should  either  be  cultivated  in  the  greenhouse,  or  carefully 
preserved  until  settled  warm  weather,  and  then  planted  in 
srood  light  soil,  in  a  sheltered  situation.  A  bed  of  these 
beautiful  flowers  would  afford  as  much  gratification  to  some, 
amateurs  as  a  bed  of  Tulips. 

The  Tigridia  concliiflora  is  of  a  rich  yellow  colour,  tinged 
and  spotted  with  white  and  crimson  ;  the  colours  are  very 
vivid  and  finely  contrasted.  The  Tigridia  pavonia  is  of 
the  brightest  scarlet,  tinged  and  spotted  with  brilliant  yellow. 
The  corolla  which  is  about  four  inches  in  diameter,  is  com- 
posed of  six  petals  ;  the  outer  petals  are  thrown  backward, 
and  exhibit  the  blossom  in  all  its  splendour,  which  exists 
only  a  single  day  ;  but  as  if  to  compensate  for  its  transient 
visit,  each  plant  will  produce  numerous  flowers;  and  where 
a  bed  of  them  can  be  collected,  they  will  amuse  their  admi- 
rers for  several  weeks  from  July  to  September.  In  such  a 
case,  the  bulbs  may  be  planted  about  two  inches  deep  ;  say 
nine  by  fifteen  inches  apart,  towards  the  end  of  April 
or  early  in  May,  and  taken  up  again  in  October,  to  preserve 
for  planting  the  ensuing  year. 


OBSERVATIONS 

ON  THE 

CULTURE  OF  BULBOUS  ROOTS, 

IN  POTS  OR  GLASSES,  IN  THE  WINTER  SEASON. 


The  culture  of  bulbous  roots  in  a  greenhouse,  or  light 
room,  during  the  Winter,  is  comparatively  easy,  provided  two 
points  be  attended  to ;  the  first  is  to  keep  them  near  the  light, 
and  to  turn  the  pots  or  glasses  round  frequently,  to  prevent 
their  growing  crouded  ;  and  the  second  is,  when  the  plants 
have  done  growing,  to  give  them  little  or  no  water ; 
for  want  of  attention  to  these  points,  bulbs  have  been  known 
to  produce  foliage,  year  after  year,  without  showing  any 
sign  of  blossoms. 

All  bulbs  have  a  certain  period  of  the  year  in  which  they 
are  in  a  dormant  state ;  this,  in  a  state  of  nature,  is  invariably 
after  the  seeds  are  ripened  ;  but  as  in  a  greenhouse,  many  of 
this  family  do  not  ripen  seeds,  the  cultivator  should  watch 
the  period  when  the  leaves  show  indications  of  decay ;  at 
which  time,  the  supplies  of  water  should  be  lessened,  and 
shortly  afterwards  the  earth  should  be  suffered  to  get  dry  and 
to  remain  so  until  the  season  returns,  when  the  bulbs  reger- 
minate. 

Many  sorts  of  bulbs  are  best  kept  in  pots,  under  the  soil, 
in  a  dry  shady  place,  and  in  the  same  temperature  as  that 
in  which  they  are  in  the  habit  of  growing;  but  others,  such 
as  the  Hyacinth,  Tulip,  Narcissus,  &c.  may  be  taken  out  of 
the  soil,  and  preserved  as  before  directed,  until  the  proper 
season  for  replanting. 

Dutch  bulbous  roots  intended  for  blooming  in  pots  during 
the  Winter  season,  should  be  planted  during  the  months  of 


CULTURE  OF    BULBOUS    ROOTS    IN    ROOMS.  99 

October  and  November,  and  be  left  exposed  to  the  open  air 
until  it  begins  to  freeze  ;  and  then  be  placed  in  the  green- 
house, or  in  a  room  where  ft  fire  is  usually  made.  They 
will  need  moderate  occasional  waterings,  until  they  begin  to 
grow  ;  then  they  should  have  abundance  of  air  in  mild 
weather,  and  plenty  of  water  from  the  saucers  underneath 
the  pots,  whilst  in  a  growing  state ;  and  should  be  exposed 
as  much  as  posible  to  the  sun,  air,  and  light,  to  prevent  the 
foliage  from  growing  too  long,  or  becoming  yellow. 

For  this  purpose,  single  Hyacinths,  and  such  as  are 
designated  earliest  among  the  double,  are  to  be  preferred. 
Single  Hyacinths  are  by  some  held  in  less  estimation  than 
double  ones,  their  colours,  however,  are  more  vivid,  and 
their  bells,  though  smaller,  are  more  numerous  ;  some  of 
the  finer  sorts  are  exquisitely  beautiful ;  they  are  preferable 
for  flowering  in  Winter  to  most  of  the  double  ones,  as  they 
bloom  two  or  three  weeks  earlier,  and  are  very  sweet  scented. 
Roman  Narcissus,  double  Jonquils,  Polyanthus  Narcissus, 
double  Narcissus,  and  Crocuses,  also  make  a  fine  appear- 
ance in  the  parlour  during  Winter.  It  is  a  remarkable 
circumstance  of  the  Crocus,  that  it  keeps  its  petals  expan- 
ded during  tolerably  bright  candle  or  lamplight,  in  the  same 
manner  as  it  does  during  the  light  of  the  sun.  If  the  candle 
be  removed,  the  Crocuses  close  their  petals,  as  they  do  in  a 
garden  when  a  cloud  obscures  the  sun  ;  and  when  the 
artificial  light  is  restored,  they  open  again,  as  they  do  with 
the  return  of  the  direct  solar  rays. 

Hyacinths  and  other  bulbs  intended  for  glasses,  should  be 
placed  in  them  about  the  middle  of  November,  the  glasses 
being  previously  filled  with  pure  water,  so  that  the  bottom 
of  the  bulb  may  just  touch  the  water  ;  then  place  them  for 
the  first  ten  days  in  a  dark  room  to  promote  the  shooting  of 
the  roots  ;  after  which  expose  them  to  the  light  and  sun  as 
much  as  possible ;  they  will  blossom  without  the  aid  of  the 
sun  ;  but  the  colours  of  the  flowers  will  be  inferior.  The 
water  should  be  changed  as  often  as  it  becomes  impure  ; 


100        CULTURE  OF  BULBOUS  ROOTS  IN  KOOMS. 

draw  the  roots  entirely  out  of  the  glasses,  rinse  the  fibres  in 
dean  water,  and  also  the  glasses  inside ;  care  should  be 
taken  not  to  suffer  the  water  to  freeze,  as  it  not  only  bursts 
the  glasses,  but  often  causes  the  fibres  to  decay.  Whether 
the  water  be  hard  or  soft,  is  of  no  great  consequence;  but 
Soft,  or  rain  water,  is  generally  preferred,  and  it  must  be 
perfectly  clear. 

Forced  bulbs  are  seldom  good  for  any  thing  afterwards  ; 
however,  those  who  wish  to  preserve  them,  may  immerse 
i hem  wholly  in  water  for  a  few  days  ;  and  then  having 
taken  them  out,  and  dried  them  in  the  shade  for  a  short  time, 
they  may  bs  planted  in  a  good  soil,  which  will  sometimes 
cause  them  to  flower  the  second  year.  It  does  not  clearly 
appear  in  what  way  the  water  operates  when  the  bulb  is 
wholly  immersed  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  bulbs  so  treated 
increase  in  size  and  solidity,  and  have  an  incomparably 
better  chance  of  flowering  the  second  year,  than  those  which 
have  not  been  so  treated  ;  most  probably  their  total  immer- 
sion enables  them  to  obtain  a  greater  proportion  of  oxygen 
from  the  water. 

Nosegays  should  have  the  water  in  which  their  ends  are 
inserted  changed,  on  the  same  principle  as  bulbous  roots  ; 
and  a  much  faded  nosegay,  or  one  dried  up,  may  often  be 
recovered  for  a  time,  by  covering  it  with  a  glass  bell,  or  cup, 
or  by  substituting  warm  water  for  cold. 

\ery  fine  Hyacinths  have  been  grown  in  a  drawing-room, 
in  the  following  novel  manner.  A  quantity  of  moss,  classi- 
cally called  hyjmum,  and  vulgarly  fog,  was  placed  in  a 
water-tight  box,  about  eight  or  nine  inches  deep,  into  which 
ihe  bulbs  were  placed  at  the  end  of  September,  without 
mould  and  duly  watered;  the  result  of  this  experiment 
was  highly  favourable. 


101 
OBSERVATIONS 

ON 

THE     GENERAL    MANAGEMENT 

OF 

GREEiNHOUSE    PLANTS. 


Having  already  exceeded  my  limits,  T  am  compelled  to 
be  brief  in  my  observations  on  such  ornamental  plants  as 
are  generally  cultivated  in  hot  and  greenhouses.  This 
description  of  plants  embraces  those  which  are  collected  from 
various  climates,  and  thrive  best  in  a  temperature  and  soil 
similar  to  that  in  which  nature  first  produced  them  :  hence 
they  who  propagate  exotic  plants,  must  provide  suitable 
composts,  and  also  separate  departments,  where  the  differ- 
ent degrees  of  heat  may  be  kept  up  according  to  their 
nature  and  description.  Some  of  these  are  raised  from  seed 
sown  in  the  Spring,  others  by  layers,  suckers,  and  offsets 
detached  from  the  old  plants,  and  many  by  slips  or  cuttings, 
planted  at  different  seasons  of  the  year,  according  to  their 
various  natures  and  state  of  the  plants.  Many  kinds  require 
the  aid  of  glass  coverings  and  bottom  heat,  created  by  fresh 
horse-dung,  tan,  &c.     See  calendar  and  index. 

Were  I  to  attempt  to  give  directions  for  the  propagation 
of  all  the  varieties  of  useful  and  ornamental  exotic  plants 
cultivated  in  various  parts  of  our  country,  it  would  require 
several  volumes.  The  catalogue  of  greenhouse  plants 
alone,  kept  by  the  enterprising  proprietor  of  the  Linnean 
Botanic  Garden  at  Flushing,  occupies  fifty  pages  of  close 
matter;  it  would,  therefore,  be  impossible  to  do  justice  to 
the  subject  without  dividing  upwards  of  two  thousand 
species  of  plants  into  classes,    and  treating  of  them  under 

9* 


102  MANAGEMENT    OF    GREENHOUSE    PLANTS. 

distinct  heads;  I  shall,  therefore,  not  attempt  in  this  edition 
to  write  largely  on  the  subject. 

la  order  to  render  this  little  work  useful  to  those  who 
may  wish  to  avail  themselves  of  the  pleasure  of  nursing 
some  of  those  beauties  of  nature  in  dwelling  or  green- 
houses, during  the  most  chilling  days  of  our  severe  Winters, 
and  to  afford  amusement  to  the  Ladies  at  a  season  when  our 
gardens  are  deprived  of  their  loveliest  charms,  I  shall  notice 
some  essential  points  connected  with  the  management  of 
greenhouse  plants,  in  as  explicit  a  manner 'as  possible,  and 
subjoin  a  brief  catalogue  of  such  species  as  are  most  gene- 
rally cultivated,  of  which  there  are  innumerable  varieties; 
descriptions  of  which,  with  all  the  varied  features  of  the 
floral  kingdom,  may  be  found  iu  the  voluminous  works  of 
Loudon,  Sweet,  Chandler,  and  other  English  writers.* 

The  following  hints  which  were  selected  for  the  first 
edition  of  the  Young  Gardener's  Assistant,  appear  to  the 
author  to  embrace  the  most  important  points  connected  with 
the  care  of  plants  in  the  Winter  season. 


*  All  the  most  popular  English  books  on  this  subject,  are  imported 
by  G.    C.  Thorburn,  No.    11  John  Street;    amongst  which   are   the 

following  : 

"Loudon's  Encyclopaedia  of  Plants,"  illustrated  by  engravings  and 
with  figures  of  nearly  ten  thousand  species,  exemplifying  several  indi- 
viduals belonging  to  every  genus  included  in  the  work.  Completed  in 
one  large  volume,  6vo.  .....         $20,00 

"Loudon's  Encyclopedia  of  Gardening,"  comprising  the  Theory  and 
Practice  of  Horticulture,  Floriculture,  Arboriculture  and  Landscape 
Gardening;  including  all  the  latest  improvements.  A  new  edition  in 
one  lura-e"  volume,  8yo.  closely  panted,  with  upwards. of  700  engra- 
vings,   _    -  -         #12,00 

"  Chandler  (of  London)  on  the  Camellia;  containing  ample  directions 
for  the  cultivation  df  this  fine  plant,  with  a  superb  plate  of  all  the  present 
known  varieties  in  En  Jand. ;  one  volume,  4to.         -  -         $45,"00 

"Hortus  B^ttdnJ£Tls',-"  a  Catalogue  of  Plants  cultivated  in  the 
gardens  of  Great  Britain,  arranged  in  natural  orders,  -  $  3,00 

'The  British  Flower  Garden;''  containing  coloured  figures,  and 
descriptions  of  all  the  most  ornamental  and  curious  plants;  with  their 
scientific  and  English  names;  best  method  of  cultivation  and  propaga- 
tion :  the  heights  they  generally  attain ;  or  any  other  information  res- 
pecting them,  that  may  be  considered  useful  or  interesting,  by  R. 
Bweet,F  L.  S.  &c.  the  drawings  by  E.  D.  Sn)ith!  F.  L.  S.  in  5  volumes, 
Pvo';  calf,  and  continued  in  monthly  numbers. — A  splendid  work,  {jUOQ 


MANAGEMENT    OF    GREENHOUSE    PLANTS.  103 

The  generality  of  those  denominated  greenhouse  plants, 
and  which  are  kept  in  rooms,  should  be  placed  where  they 
can  have  the  light  of  the  sun,  without  being  exposed  to 
frost.  Air,  heat,  and  moisture  are  essential  to  the  growth 
of  plants  ;  but  these  should  be  given  in  due  proportions, 
according  to  circumstances.  In  frosty  w  cat  her  they  should 
be  kc*i>t  from  the  external  air,  and  watered  very  sparingly. 
When  water  is  necessary,  it  should  be  applied  in  the  morn- 
ingof  a  mild  sunny  day.  The  plants  should  be  kept  free 
from  decayed  leaves,  and  the  earth  at  the  top  of  the  pots 
should  be  sometimes  loosened  to  a  moderate  depth,  and 
replenished  with  a  portion  of  fresh  compost. 

Plants  kept  in  private  houses  are  often  killed  with  kind- 
tfess.  The  temperature  of  a  room  in  the  Winter,  need  not 
be  more  than  ten  degrees  above  freezing.  If  plants  are 
healthy  they  may  be  kept  so  by  attention  to  the  preceding 
hints  ;  unheakhiness  generally  arises  from  their  being 
subjected  to  the  extremes  of  heat,  cold,  or  moisture,  or  from 
total  neglect. 

In  order  that  the  ideas  above  advanced  may  be  duly 
considered,  it  may  be  useful  to  indulge  in  a  more  minute 
description  of  the  nature  of  plants,  and  to  show  in  what 
manner  the  elements  operate  upon  them.  It  is  an  acknow- 
ledged fact,  that  the  roots  of  plants  require  moisture,  and 
therefore  penetrate  the  earth  in  search  of  it,  and  that  the 
plants  themselves  are  greatly  nourished  by  air,  and  spread 
their  branches  and  leaves  to  catch  as  much  as  possible  its 
enlivening  influence.  Light  also  is  so  far  essential,  that 
there  can  be  no  colour  without  it ;  witness  the  blanching  of 
celery  and  endive,  where  the  parts  deprived  of  light  become 
white  ;  place  a  plant  in  almost  any  situation,  it  will  invari- 
ably show  a  tendency  to  turn  to  the  light;  the  sunflower  is 
a  striking  example  of  this  singular  fact.  As  the  leaves 
supply  the  plant  with  air,  aud  the  fibres  of  the  roots  with 
nourishment,  to  strip  oft"  the  leaves  or  destroy  the  fibres,  is 
to  deprive  it  of  part  of  its  means  of  support. 


104  MANAGEMENT    OF     GREENHOUSE    PLANTS. 

Having  shosvn  that  air  and  water  are  essential  to  vegeta- 
tion, and  light  to  its  colour,  experience  shows  us  that  heat, 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  is  not  less  necessary  to  the  growth 
of  plants;  it  is  therefore  requisite,  that  in  taking  plants  into 
our  rooms,  we  should  attend  to  these  particulars. 

The  internal  structure  of  plants  is  composed  of  minute 
and  imperceptible  pores,  which  serve  the  same  important 
purpose  in  the  vegetable  as  veins  in  the  animal  system ; 
they  convey  the  circulation  of  the  sap  in  the  former,  as  the 
veins  do  the  blood  in  the  latter ;  but  it  is  by  no  means 
setileJ  as  yet  by  physiologists  how  the  food  of  plants  is  taken 
up  into  the  system,  and  converted  into  their  constituent 
parts. 

From  the  foregoing  considerations  and  facts,  it  is  evident, 
that,  as  air,  heat,  and  moisture,  are  each  essential  to  vegeta- 
tion, that  water  should  only  be  given  in  proportion  as  heat 
and  air  are  attainable.  Tn  the  Summer  season,  greenhouse 
plants  may  be  exposed  to  the  open  air,  from  the  early  part 
of  May,  until  the  end  of  September,  by  being  placed  on  the 
ledges  of  windows,  or  on  a  stand  erected  for  the  purpose, 
or  in  the  absence  of  a  nursery  bed  of  flowering  plants,  they 
may  be  introduced  into  the  regular  flower-beds,  to  supply 
the  place  of  such  plants  as  may  wither  and  die  in  the  course 
of  the  Summer,  by  being  turned  out  of  the  pots  and  planted, 
or  plunged  in  the  earth  with  the  pots. 

In  the  heat  of  the  Summer  season,  plants  generally 
require  water  every  evening,  and  in  the  absence  of  dews, 
the  earth  about  their  roots  may  sometimes  need  a  little  in  the 
morning;  but  experience  shows,  that  the  roots  of  plants 
more  frequently  get  injured  from  being  soddened  with  water, 
than  from  being  kept  moderately  dry. 

Having  before  intimated  that  exotic  plants  will  generally 
thrive  best  in  a  temperature  and  soil  similar  to  that  in 
which  nature  first  produced  them,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
remind  the  reader,  that  we  have  the  means  of  obtaining 
suitable   composts  from   our   own  soils,   and   from   sand, 


MANAGEMENT    OF    GREENHOUSE    PLANTS,  105 

decayed  leaves,  rotten  dung,  and  various  hinds  of  peat,  bog, 
and  rock  mould;  these  ingredients  being  judiciously  mixed 
and  prepared',  may  be  suited  to  all  the  various  kinds  of 
plants,  and  should  be  used  as  occasion  requires. 

As  the  roots  of  plants  make  considerable  growth  in  the 
course  of  a  Summer,  it  will  be  necessary  to  examine  them 
by  turfiirlg  them  out  of  the  pots  ;  this  may  be  done  early  in 
September,  at  winch  time  all  matted  and  decayed  roots 
should  be  pared  off,  and  the  plants  shifted  into  larger  pots, 
which  being  filled  with  suitable  compost,  and  watered,  will 
be  ready  for  removal  into  the  house  on  the  approach  of 
cold  nights,  which  is  generally  early  in  October. 

Greenhouse  plants  require  au  annual  pruning,  and  should 
be  occasionally  headed  down,  in  order  that  their  size  and 
appearance  may  be  improved  ;  the  best  time  for  doing  this 
is  soon  after  they  have  done  flowering,  and  while  they  are 
in  a  growing  state. 

Having  endeavoured  to  furnish  my  readers  with  the 
artificial  means  of  preserving  tender  plants  in  a  climate 
foreign  to  that  which  nature  first  produced  them,  I  shall 
call  their  attention  to  another  class  of  plants  well  calculated 
for  the  windows  of  a  house. 

I  allude  to  the  many  beautiful  varieties  of  the  Chinese 
Chrysanthemum;  these  are  frequently  cultivated  in  pots, 
:;nd  may  betaken  from  the  ground  and  put  into  pots,  even 
when  in  full  flower,  without  injury,  and  when  the  bloom  is 
fiver,  returned  to  the  garden.  In  the  Spring  following,  they 
will  throw  up  an  abundance  of  suckers. 

Ihe  following  list  contains  some  of  the  best  varieties  of 
the  Chrysanthemum,  and  are  entitled  to  a  place  in  every 
flower  garden.  In  October  and  November,  when  the  waning 
year  has  left  our  gardens  comparatively  cheerless,  these, 
witii  their  various  colours,  deck  them  out  in  gaiety,  and 
prolong  the  semblance  of  Summer.  They  are  perfectly 
hardv,  and  will  brave  our  severest  Winters. 


106 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS* 


From  the  Catalogue  of  W,  Prince  fy  Sons,  Flushing,  L.  L 


The  gold  bordered  red; 
the  petals  are  red, 
striped  with  golden 
yellow 

White  quilled 

Pale  buif,  or  orange 

Changeable,  red  and 
orange  on  sameplant 

Lilac  quilled. 

Rose-coloured, or  pink 

Lilac  and  white,  chan- 
geable; the  fioiccrs 
vary  to  lilac,  to  tchite 
with  a  purple  centre, 
and  to  pure  white 

Dark  crimson,  or  Span- 
ish brown 

Straw  colonred  quilled 

Golden  yellow 

Tasselled  White 


Semi-donble  quilled  do 
Paper  white 
Quilled  light  purpk 
Expanded  do    do 
Quilled  yellow 
Double  Indian  yellow 
Double   Indian   white 
Dark  purple 
Early  blush 
Golden  lotus 
Quilled  purple 
Starry  purple 
Park's  small yeWowftne 
Quilled  salmon 
Semidouble  quilled 
Pale  orange 
Two-coloured  red 
Curled  buff,  orsalmon 
Large  lilac 
Late  pale  purple 


Quilled   fine  yellow 

Sulphur  do 

Superb  clustered  do 

Small  do 

Single  flame  yellow 

Quilled  pink 

Quilled  Orange 

Early  crimson 

Curled  lilac 

Two  coloured  incurv' 

Blush  ranunculus 

Late  quilled  purple 

Tasselled  lilac 

Tasselled  yellow 

Yellow  waratah 

Pale  lilac 

Large  buff,  superb 

Barclay's 

Alton's 

Sabine's. 


Chrysanthemums  may  be  propagated  from  seed  and  cut- 
tings, and  each  plant  will  produce  several  suckers  which 
may  be  separated  every  Spring.  As  the  flowers  are  liable  to 
be  injured  by  the  rain  in  Autumn,  it  is  advisable  to  take  up 
a  few  plants,  and  place  them  in  a  light  room  or  greenhouse 
which  will  preserve  them  for  some  time. 

Many  people  keep  their  late  blooming  plants  in  the  house 
through  the  Winter  ;  this  is  a  bad  practice,  as  the  heat  and 
want  of  air  will  exhaust  or  destroy  the  plants  altogether. 
If  the  flowers  fade  before  hard  frost  prevails,  it  is  best  either 
to  plunge  the  pots,  into  the  ground  with  the  plants,  or  to  turn 
them  out  of  the  pots,  and  plant  them,  with  the  balls  of  earth 
entire,  into  the  borders  of  the  flower  garden. 

Early  in  May,  such  as  may  be  intended  for  potting  the 
ensuing  season,  should  be  divided  at  the  roots,  if  not  potted 
and  planted,  each  kind  separate.  One  single  stem  is  suffi- 
cient for  a  moderate  sized  pot,  if  the  object  be  to  have  bushy 
plants  ;  but  if  showy  plants  are  desired,  one  of  each  of  the 
varied  colours  may  be  selected  for  each  pot,.which  should  be 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS.       107 

sufficiently  capacious  to  hold  them  without  crowding  them, 
as  this  will  cause  the  plants  to  grow  weak  and  slender.  If 
such  happens  early  in  the  Summer,  a  stocky  growth  may  be 
produced  by  clipping  the  tops,  and  they  will  bloom  in  great 
perfection  in  their  usual  season. 

INTRODUCTION  TO  THE 

CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

To  promote  brevity  and  avoid  tautology,  I  here  submit  the 
following  statement  : — 

That  the  directions  accompanying  our  catalogue  of  An- 
nual, Biennial  and  Perennial  Flower  Seeds,  will  apply  to 
such  plants  in  the  green-house  department  as  are  ordinarily 
raised  from  seed. 

That  the  directions  annexed  to  the  catalogue  of  Flower- 
ing and  Ornamental  Shrubs,  for  propagation  by  cuttings, 
layers,  &c,  are  applicable  to  a  great  proportion  of  the 
plants  hereinafter  described,  and  that  the  exceptions  are 
shown  in  the  monthly  calendar. 

That  such  Bulbous  roots  as  are  generally  embraced  in 
Greenhouse  Catalogues,  from  their  being  adapted  to  artifi- 
cial culture,  have  been  already  treated  of,  under  each  head, 
in  numerous  articles;  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 

That  with  the  exception  of  Hot-house  plants,  which  re. 
quire  a  uniformly  warm  climate  to  perpetuate  their  exis- 
tence, all  such  other  tender  and  half  hardy  plants  as  need 
protection  in  Winter,  may  come  under  the  denomination  of 
Greenhouse  Plants  ;  some  species  however,  notwithstanding 
this  concession,  may  be  preserved  in  frames,  pits,  cellars,  or 
warm  rooms. 

That  many  of  those  species  designated  thus,  §  and 
thus  f  in  our  two  first  catalogues,  are  of  such  description  ; 
and  as  they  have  been  treated  of  in  the  chapters  thereto  an- 
nexed, the  following  catalogue  and  explication  will  be 
necessarily  brief,  when  compared  with  one  general  catalogue 
of  exotic  plants. 


108 


Acacia.  Of  this  and  the  Mimosa,  which  are  by  some  con- 
siderecl  as  one  genus,  there  are  upwards  of  a  hundred  spe- 
cies and  varieties,  suited  for  artificial  culture.  The  blossoms 
which  are  generally  straw  colour  and  yellow,  except  the 
most  tender,  some  of  which  are  crimson,  succeed  each 
other   from  February  to  June. 

Agapanthus.  A  beautiful  species  of  Lily,  producing  large- 
blue  flowers  from  April  to  .Tune  ;  some  varieties  have  striped 
leaves  and  delicate  white  blossoms. 

Aloe.  Of  this  genus,  there  are  numerous  species  and 
varieties,  some  of  which  are  very  curious,  being  possessed  of 
all  the  varied  forms  and  figures  peculiar  to  succulent  plants. 
Some  species  flower  annually  from  March  to  September, 
and  all,  except  the  Century  Aloe,  blossom  frequently;  the 
colours  are  generally  yellow,  pink,  and  red.  The  singular 
figure  and  habit  of  these  plants  render  them  desirable  for 
greenhouse  culture. 

Arbutus.  European  Strawberry  tree.  A  half  hardy  ever- 
green shrub,  of  which  there  are  several  species  and  varietiesj 
producing  crimson  and  pink  blossoms,  and  fruit  which 
remain  on  the  plant  a  considerable  time. 

Ardesia.  Chinese  Arclesia.  This  is  generally  cultivated 
as  a  hot-house  plant;  and,  if  kept  in  the  greenhouse,  should 
be  placed  in  a  warm  situation.  There  are  several  species 
producing  oblong  shining  leaves,  pink  flowers  and  red  ber- 
ries, which  are  very  ornamental* 

Aster  argophyllus.  Musk  Plant.  A  plant  of  no  great 
beauty,  but  esteemed  by  some  for  its  musky  fragrance ; 
leaves  ovate;  lanceolate,  and  silky  beneath. 

Aucuba  Japonica,  A  half  hardy  shrub,  with  pale  green 
leaves  spotted  with  yellow.  It  produces  small  purple  blos- 
soms, but  is  desirable  for  its  foliage  pnly  :  to  preserve 
which  in  good  condition,  shade  in  the  Summer  is  absolutely 
necessary. 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE   fL,ANTS.  IUy 

Azalea.  The  Chinese  species  of  Azalea  are  numerous 
and  beautiful,  producing  blossoms  of  various  hues,  as  while, 
purple,  ^.arlot,  yellow,  &c,  and  some  are  striped  and  spot- 
ted,  which  succeed  each  other  from  February  to  May,under 
good  cultivation. 

Banksia.  A  genus  of  plants  named  in  honour  of  Sir 
Joseph  Banks,  of  which  there  are  over  twenty  species,  all 
curious  in  flower,  and  variable  in  foliage  ;  colours,  yellow 
and  green.      They   generally  blossom  from  May  to  August. 

Beaufortia.  There  are  two  species  of  this  beautiful 
shrub,  yielding  scarlet  and  pink  flowers  from  the  sides  of 
their  stalks,  from  May  to  July. 

Bellis  pcrcnnls.  Daisy.  This  half-hardy  dwarf  species 
of  which  there  are  several  varieties, as  recorded  in  our  Peren- 
nial Catalogue,  are  worthy  of  further  notice,  from  their  yield- 
ing thousands  of  button-formed  flowers  from  January  to  July, 
or  until  checked  by  the  Summer  heat,  from  which  they 
should  be  screened,  by  being  planted  in  a  shaded  border 
in  the  Spring.  The  colours  are  white,  red  and  variegated, 
and  some,  called  hen  and  chicken  Daisies,  grow  in  clusters. 

Btetia  iankcrvilli.  A  delicate  plant,  producing  spikes  of 
purple  flowers,  similar  to  the  Hyacinth,  from  April  to  July. 

Bouvardia.  Mexican  Bouvardia.  A  beautiful  plant,  pro- 
ducing brilliant  scarlet  flowers  from  May  to  September, 
when  carefully  cultivated. 

Boronia.  There  are  several  species  of  this  plant,  natives  of 
New  Holland;  the  flowers  of  some  are  star-like,  rose  coloured 
and  sweet-scented  ;  at  perfection  in  April  and  May. 

Burchellia.  A  dwarf  evergreen  shrub,  producing  orange 
coloured  flowers  in  large  terminate  clusters,  from  March  to 
June. 

Cactus.  Of  this  family  of  plants  there  are  numerous  spe- 
cies supposed  to  be  of  different  genera,  from  the  variation  of 
their  character  and  habits.  They  belong  to  the  hot-house, 
but  succeed  well  in  a  warm  room  or  good  greenhouse. 
Some  are  formed  into  erect  pyramids,  others  are  of  a  trailing 

10 


110  CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

habit,  and  all  produce  from  the  sides  of  their  succulent 
stalks  and  leaves,  beautiful  crimson,  white,  or  pink  flowers» 
from  March  to  August. 

Calceolaria.  Of  this  species  of  delicate  dwarf  plants,  there 
are  several  splendid  varieties  annually  raised  from  seed  ; 
producing  red,  yellow  and  orange  coloured  flowers  from 
April  to  August,  when  shaded  from  the  noonday  Sun  ;  they 
will  otherwise  suffer  from  heat. 

Calothamnus.  A  beautiful  evergreen  shrub,  similar  to  a 
dwarf  pine,  producing  scarlet  blossoms  from  the  old  wood, 
from  April  to  November. 

Callicoma  serratifolia.  A  beautiful  plant,  producing  tufted 
yellow  heads  of  flowers  from  May  to  July. 

Camellia.  Of  this  admired  Winter-blooming  genus  of 
plants,  there  are  several  distinct  species,  the  varieties  from 
many  of  which  multiply  annually.  Its  durable  glossy  fo- 
liage, and  splendid  flowers,  which  excel  those  of  any 
other  plant, will  insure  it  a  pre-eminence  in  every  greenhouse; 
as  in  good  collections,  flowers  of  various  hues  may  be 
gathered,  from  October  to  May. 

Cheiranthus.  Under  this  title  have  been  generally  embra<- 
ced  all  those  fragrant  and  beautiful  half  hardy  species  of 
Biennial  Plants,  known  as  Wail  and  Gilliflowers  ;  the  lat- 
ter species  is  now  however  denominated  Mathiola  in  our 
catalogues.  The  beautiful  blossoms  and  delicious  fragrance 
of  these  families,  from  February  to  June,  entitle  them  to 
more  than  a  passing  notice.  Their  perfumes  are  exquisite. 
Cineraria  cruenta.  Canary  Aster.  A  dwarf  half-shrub- 
by plant,  producing  purple  blossoms  in  April  and  May. 

Cineraria  maritima.  Silvery-leaved  Ragwort;  or  Powder- 
ed Beau;  A  white  plant,  producing  bright  yellow  globular 
flowers  from  April  to  June  or  July. 

Cistus.  Rock  Rose.  A  half-hardy  dwarf  shrub,  of 
which  there  are  upwards  of  twenty  species  natives  of  Eu- 
rope ;  the  flowers,  which  are  white  and  purple,  multiply 
abundantly  in  May  and  June. 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS.         Ill 

Citrus.  Orange,  Lemon,  &c.  This  genus  embraces  the 
Orange,  Lemon,  Lime,  Shaddock,  &c.  of  each  of  which 
there  are  several  vareties.  They  are  indispensable  in  a 
good  greenhouse,  for  their  handsome  evergreen  foliage, 
most  ordoriferous  blossoms,  and  beautiful  golden  fruit, 
which  by  careful  Cultivation  may  be  kept  constantly  on  the 
plants.  Those  varieties  with  variegated,  yellow  and  green 
foliage,  are  very  generally  admired. 

Clethra  arboren  varicgafa.  A  fine  sweet-scented  shrub, 
producing  spikes  of  white  downy  blossoms  ;  the  leaves  are 
oblong 'and  .serrated,  hiving  a  gold-coloured  edge. 

Cor  ma.  A  genus  of  dwarf  shrubby  plants,  consisting  of 
several  species,  producing  their  orange,  white,  red  and 
green  blossoms  frequently  in  the  Winter,  and  sometimes  in 
May  or  June. 

Coronilla  glauca.  A  desirable  greenhouse  dwarf  shrub, 
yielding  numerous  sweet-scented  yellow  flowers  in  clusters  ; 
from  January  to  April.  There  are  other  varieties  which 
blossom  in  Summer. 

Cotyledon  orhiculata.  Cape  Navel  wort.  A  succulent 
plant,  producing  finger-like  suckers  and  successional  joints, 
which  blossom  annually  ;  the  curiosity  of  the  foliage,  how- 
ever, is  its  chief  recommendation. 

Crassula.  A  species  of  dwarf  succulent  plants,  produ- 
cing scarlet  and  variegated  wax-like  flowers  ;  from  April  to 
June  or  July. 

Criimm  amahile.  A  large  beautiful  flowering  bulb,  of 
which  there  are  several  species,  chiefly  calculated  for  hot- 
house culture,  where  some  varieties  frequently  yield  three 
stems  of  beautiful  crimson,  purple  or  white  flowers,  in  a 

year. 

Daphne  odora.  A  beautiful  dwarf  evergreen  shrub, 
yielding  white  fragrant  blossoms  in  many-flowered  terminal 
heads,  from  December  to  March.  There  are  other  species 
and  varieties,  one  of  which  has  its  leaves  edged  with 
yellow. 


112  CATALOGUE    OF    GREENHOUSE    PLANTS. 

Dianthus.  Under  this  name  is  embraced  all  the  admira- 
ble species  of  Carnations,  Picotees,  Pinks,  Sweet  Wil- 
liams, &c,  recorded  in  our  catalogue  of  Perennials  ;  and 
which  are  in  universal  esteem  for  their  fragrance  and  beauty, 
fron.  May  to  August.  They  are  all  hardy,  except  the  Car- 
nation and  Picotee  tribes,  which  are  well  deserving  green- 
house or  frame  culture. 

Diisma.  A  dwarf  genus  of  heath-leaved  shrubs,  producing 
numerous  small  dowers  of  a  while  lilac  or  pink  colour  ;  some 
varieties  of  which  are  sweet-scented,  from  March  to  INI  ay. 

Dnjandrus.  To  this  genus  belong  several  species,  similar 
to  the  Banhsias;  they  are  delicate  plants,  producing  orange 
and  straw-coloured  thistle-like  11  wers  it:  abundance. 

Epacrh.  This  is  a  native  of  New  South  Wales,  of  which 
there  are  several  species,  mostly  erect  growing  plants, 
varying  from  two  to  four  feet ;  the  leaves  are  small,  and  the 
blossejns  which  in  the  varieties  are  crimson,  pink,  purple 
ancl  vlme,  are,  under  good  cultivation,  abundant  from 
January  to  June. 

Enca.  Heath.  Upwards  of  five  hundred  species  and 
varieties  of  ibis  plant  are  cultivated  in  Great  Britain,  where 
a  continued  succession  of  bloom  is  kept  up  from  January  to 
December;  the  most  prominent  colours  are  white,  scarlet, 
purple,  yellow  and  red.  They  are  desirable  plants  to  culti- 
vate ia  any  country,  as  th^y  furnish  material  for  the  bouquet 
in  Winter,  but  they  must  be  screened  from  the  noon-clay 
Sun  in  Summer,  and  only  moderately  watered  ;  as  extremes 
of  drought  or  moisture  are  destructive  to  this  fapiily  of  plants. 

Erythrina.  Coral  Plant.  There  are  several  species  of 
this  plant,  chiefly  adapted  to  the  hot-house,  producing  long 
spikes  of  crimson  or  scarlet  flowers.  Some  keep  them  in 
good  condition  in  a  greenhouse;  they  must,  however,  be 
well  attended  to,  and  frequently  repotted,  which  will  some- 
times induce  them  to  bloom  two  or  three  times  in  a  year. 

Euphorhia.  There  are  several  species  of  this  plant 
adapted  to  the  greenhouse;  some  of  which  are  beautiful, 


CATALOGUE     OF    GREENHOUSE     PLANTS.  113 

especially  the  E.splendens  and  Poinsett's,  scarlet  bachty'd, 
or  Euphorbia poinsetti.  They  flower  freely  from  December 
to  May,  if  kept  in  a  warm  part  of  the  house. 

Eupatorium  elcgans.  A  dwarf  plant,  producing  white 
sweet-scented  flowers  early  in  the  Spring  ;  to  promote  bushi- 
ness,  the  plant,  after  blossoming,  should  be  closely  pruned. 
E ataxia  myrtifolia.  A  beautiful  little  evergreen  shrub  ; 
foliage  small,  but  very  neat,  furnishing  numerous  red  and 
yellow-coloured  blossoms  from  March  to  May,  under  good 
culture. 

Ficus  clastica.  India-rubber  tree,  and  Ficvs  australis, 
are  both  evergreen  plants,  and  grow  luxuriantly  in  a  green- 
house ;  the  foliage,  which  is  large  and  glossy,  is  pink  on  the 
under  side. 

Ficus.  Fig  Tree.  A  plant  easily  cultivated,  of  which 
there  are  many  species  and  varieties,  which  kept  in  pots  or 
tubs,  in  a  temperature  adapted  to  the  Orange  tree,  will  fruit 
freely,  and  ripen  two  crops  a  year. 

Fuchsia.  Ladies  Ear-drop.  Of  this  beautiful  dwarf 
shrub,  there  are  several  varieties,  producing  clusters  of 
small  scarlet  flowers,  the  stamens  of  which  are  encircled 
with  a  petal  of  purple;  in  bloom  from  April  to  September. 

Gardenia.  Cape  Jasmine.  A  very  popular  evergreen 
plant,  producing  white  fragrant  rose-like  flowers,  from  May 
to  August.  There  are  several  species  and  varieties,  some 
of  which  are  more  dwarfish  than  others,  but  all  are  desirable. 

Gelscmiu-n  nitidum.  Carolina  Jasmine.  A  beautiful 
climbing  evergreen,  producing  in  the  month  of  May,  large 
yellow  trumpet-like  blossoms,  of  delicious  fragrance. 

Ghxinia.  A  desirable  herbaceous  plant,  of  which  there 
are  several  varieties, yielding  beautiful  showy  flowers;  colours 
blue,  lilac  and  white. 

GnapaUuM.  Everlasting  Flower.  Of  this  plant  there 
are  several  species  or  varieties,  some  of  which  yield  clusters 
of  yellow  flowers,  and  others  red  ;  from  March  to  June. 

Gnidia.     Flax-leaved  Gnidia.     A  dwarf  shrub,  of  which 

10* 


114  CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

there  are  several  varieties,  furnishing  pretty  tubular  and 
corymbose  straw-coloured  flowers  in  the  Winter  and  Spring. 
Heliotr  opium.  Peruvian  Heliotrope.  A  species  of  soft 
shrubby  dwarf  plants,  which,  when  cultivated  in  a  warm 
situation,  will  yield  abundance  of  delicate  blue,  or  purple 
flowers  ;  from  January  to  September. 

Helychrysum.  Eternal  Flower.  There  are  several  spe- 
cies and  varieties  of  this  plant,  producing  soft  downy 
foliage  and  durable  flowers,  which,  if  cut  before  they  are  too 
far  advanced,  will  retain  their  splendour  several  years. 
*  Hibiscus  Chinensis.  This  half-hardy  herbaceous  plant 
is  worthy  of  a  place  in  the  greenhouse,  as  some  species 
will  yield  flowers  six  inches  in  diameter,  if  well  attended  to 
and  frequently  watered;  the  colours  are  crimson  and  blush. 

Hoya.  Wax  Plant.  A  fine  climbing  species,  adapted  to 
the  hot-house,  the  leaves  being  succulent,  green  and  fleshy, 
require  considerable  heat  and  but  little  water.  Some  pro- 
duce pink  flowers,  and  others  white,  in  April  and  May. 

Hydrangea  hortensis.  The  Hydrangea  is  a  well  known 
deciduous  half-hardy  soft-wooded  shrub,  producing  large 
pink  balls  of  blossom,  when  cultivated  in  a  shaded  border, 
from  May  to  October;  and  by  mixing  iron  dust  from  a 
blacksmith's  shop  with  the  soil,  or  by  growing  the  plants  in 
swamp  earth,  or  mould  from  decayed  leaves,  the  flowers 
will  become  blue. 

Hypericum.  St. John's-wort.  A  half  hardy  little  plant, 
producing  yellow  flowers  from  April  to  June.  There  are 
several  species,  some  producing  scarlet  blossoms. 

lllicium  Aniseed  Tree.  A  dwarf  species  of  shrub,  the 
leaves  of  which  when  rubbed,  smell  like  anise;  some  pro- 
duce red,  and  others  yellow  flowers,  in  March  and  April. 

Indigofera.  Indigo  Tree.  A  free-flowering  shrub,  of 
which  there  are  several  species  ;  the  flowers,  which  grow 
in  long  panacles,  are  red,  yellow  and  pink. 

Jasminum.  Jasmine.  Of  this  favourite  genus,  there  are 
several  species  of  various  complexions.  The  Catalonian  Jas- 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLAINTS.         115 

mine,  or  J.  grand iflorum,  produces  white  fragrant  blossoms  in 
Winter;  the  Indian  Jasmine,  or  «/,  odoraiissimum,  and  also 
the  J.  revulutwn,  yield  very  sweet-scented  yellow  flowers 
from  April  to  June,  and  the  J.  officinale,  a  climbing  plant) 
blossoms  through  the  Summer. 

Justicla.  The  plants  of  this  genus  are  generally  cultiva- 
ted in  the  hot-house  ;  some  produce  scarlet  flowers  in  large 
ter min ale  spikes,  from  December  to  March, and  others  purple. 

Kcnncdia.  A  beautiful  evergreen  climber,  ofwhicli  there 
are  several  species,  producing  blossoms  of  various  hues,  as, 
scarlet,  blue,  crimson,  and  purple,  from  February  to  June. 

Lagerstrccmla.  A  half-hardy  deciduous  plant,  the  roots 
of  which  planted  in  the  garden  in  March,  will  produce  large 
spikes  of  red  flowers,  from  May  to  August. 

Lantana.  A  genus  of  dwarf  shrubs,  which  being  culti- 
vated in  the  hot-house,  or  a  warm  greermouse,wiI]  yield  their 
blossoms  in  April  and  May  ;  the  species  are  of  various 
colours  ;  yellow,  orange,  pink,  white,  purple,  and  variable. 

Lanrus  nohdis.  Laurel.  This  evergreen  shrub  is  by 
some  esteemed  for  its  fragrant  leaves  ;  there  are  several  spe- 
cies designated  as  sweet  bay,  royal  bay,  &c.  and  some  spe- 
cies arc  without  scent. 

Lavcndula,  Lavender.  A  species  of  soft- wooded  half 
hardy  plants  with  narrow  scented  leaves,  yielding  spikes  of 
fragrant  blue  flowers  in  May  and  June. 

Lechenaultia  formosa.  A  dwarf  plant  with  heath-like 
foliage  and  bright  scarlet  blossoms;  inblooma  long  season, 
under  good  culture. 

Leptospcrmum.  This  genus  is  somewhat  celebrated  from 
the  leaves  of  the  species  L.  scojjariumhelng  used  by  thecrew 
of  Captain  Cook's  ship  as  a  substitute  for  Tea,  the  leaves 
having  an  agreeable  bitter  flavour  ;  the  blossoms  which  are 
small,  are  wrhite. 

Leucadtndron.  Silver  Tree.  A  neat  evergreen  shrub 
with  silvery-like  foliage,  of  which  there  are  several  species, 
all  admirable  for  their  beauty. 


116  CATALOGUE  OP  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

Linum.  Flax.  Two  species  of  this  plant  are  worthy  of 
cultivation  in  a  greenhouse,  where  they  will  bloom  in  Feb- 
ruary and  March.  The  Linum  trigynum  produces  large 
yellow  flowers  in  clusters,  and  Linum  ascyrifolium  yields 
spikes  of  blue  and  white  flowers,  which  are  similar  to  those 
of  the  Convolvulus. 

Lychnis  coronata.  Coronet -flowered  Lychnis.  This 
half-hardy  plant,  embraced  in  our  catalogue  of  Perennials,  is 
worthy  of  protection;  from  its  furnishing  trusses  of  beautiful 
orange  scarlet  flowers,  from  June  to  August.  As  it  yields 
no  seed,  the  roots  should  be  taken  from  the  garden  in 
Autumn,  and  returned  the  ensuing  Spring. 

Magnolia.  Most  of  the  species  of  this  justly. admired 
genus  are  hardy,and  blossom  in  the  Summer  ;  there  are, how- 
ever, some  of  the  Chinese  varieties,  which  cultivated  in  a 
greenhouse,  will  produce  their  beautiful  purple,  yellow  and 
white  blossoms,  from  January  to  April. 

Melaleucas.  A  beautiful  genus  of  plants,  natives  of  New 
Holland  ;  the  diversity  of  their  foliage  and  singularity  of 
flowers,  some  of  which  are  scarlet,  and  shoot  from  the  wood 
like  fringes,  render  them  worthy  of  good  cultivation. 

Mcsembryanthemum.  A  genus  of  succulent  plants,  con- 
sisting of  hundreds  of  species  and  varieties,  chiefly  natives  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  They  vary  greatly  in  their  forms, 
attitudes, and  habits  of  growth  ;  some  are  upright, others  pro- 
cumbent, some  are  thick,  others  cimeter  or  slender-leaved. 
They  are  all  singular,  and  many  of  them  beautiful.  The  co- 
lours of  the  flowers, which  are  of  every  shade,  are  great  orna- 
ments from  May  to  August ;  some  species  and  varieties  are 
cultivated  as  Annuals  in  the  Flower  Garden,  where  they 
prove  a  great  acquisition. 

Mctrosideros.  A  genus  of  Australasian  shrubs,  some 
species  of  which  are  willow  and  others  spear-leaved,  produ- 
cing their  cones  of  scarlet  or  white  flowers,  from  March  to 
May. 

Myrtus.     Myrtle.     A  genus  of  dwarf  evergreen  shrubs, 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS.  117 

of  which  there  are  several  species  and  varieties  ;  the  foliage 
is  chiefly  glossy  and  fragrant,  yielding  numerous  small 
flowers.  There  are  some  species  known  as  Cape  Myrtles, 
or  Myrsines,  which  also  yield  abundance  of  white  and 
purple  flowers  from  March  to  May. 

Nandina  domestica  Japan  Nandina.  A  half-hardy  ever- 
green shrub;  leaves  supra-decompound,  with  entire  lanceo- 
late leaflets  ;   a  kind  of  foliage  that  is  very  rare. 

Ncrium.  Oleander.  A  well-known  and  admired  shrub, 
yielding  clusters  of  rose-like  flowers  from  May  to  September. 
The  Nei  ium  splcndcns  is  (he  most  esteemed  of  the  red  varie- 
ties ;  the  true  double  white  and  striped  are  very  rare  ;  but. 
some  of  those  cultivated  for  sale,  producing  semi-double 
flowers,  are  by  no  means  desirable. 

Olea  fragrance.  Dwarf  Olive.  This  variety  of  the  Olive 
recommends  itself  to  notice,  for  its  dwarf  habit  of  growth, 
and  from  the  foliage  and  white  blossoms  being  highly  odo- 
riferous,   from  March  to  May. 

Passi flora.  Passion  flower.  Of  this  celebrated  genus  of 
climbing  plants,  there  are  several  species  and  varieties,  which 
produce  splendid  flowers  of  various  colours,  red,  blue,  white, 
purple,  scarlet,  &p.  beautifully  contrasted,  and  some  species 
yield  fruit.  They  generally  blossom  from  May  to  Septem- 
ber, and  some  will  flower  in  the  hot-house  in  Winter. 

Pelargonium.  Geranium.  The  species  and  varieties  of 
this  beautiful  genus  is  supposed  to  exceed  a  thousand,  which 
are  of  every  character,  colour,  and  lineament,  and  some  so 
beautifully  blended  as  to  astonish  the  beholder;  the  agree- 
able fragrance  also,  of  which  many  of  them  are  possessed, 
will  always  render  them  favourites  to  amateur  florists,  The 
best  blooming  season,  is  from  April,  to  June  or  July. 

Pittosporum.  A  Chinese  evergreen  shrub,  with  hand- 
some glossy  foliage,  yielding  numerous  white  clusters  of 
flowers  in  April  and  May,  which  are  of  delicious  fragrance. 
There  are  several  species,  one  of  which  is  variegated. 

Plumbago  capensis.  Cape  Plumbago.     A  beautiful  dwarf 


118         CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

plant,  with  oblong  leaves  yielding1  numerous  spikes  of  showy 
blue  flowers  nearly  all  the  Summer. 

Polygata  cordati.  Heart-shaped  Polygata.  A  beautiful 
little  plant,  producing  abundance  of  licit  purple  flowers 
nearly  all  the  Winter. 

Protect.  A  beautiful  race  of  plants,  the  foliage  of  which 
is  very  diversified,  and  the  flowers  also  ;  being  red,  white, 
straw,  brown,  graen  and  pu.ple,  and  most  of  these  colours 
are  frequently  to  be  seen  on  the  same  plant;  from  March 
to  June. 

Pri?nula.  In  this  genus  are  embraced  all  the  varieties  of 
the  Primrose,  Polyanthus,  Aurieiihi,  Cowslip,  Oxlip,  &c. 
already  inserted  in  one  Biennial  and  Perennial  catalogues. 
The  flowers,  which  appear  early  in  Spriiig;  are  mostly 
sweet-scented,  and  of  various  colours,  red,  white,  yellow, 
lilac,  purple,  crimson,  &c,  which  in  some  me  beautifully 
variegated.  The  ab«»ve  are  natives  of  England;  besides 
which  are  two  varieties,  a  lute  and  pink,  natives  of  China, 
producing  umbels  of  flowers  ;  from  January  to  May. 

Pprus  Jefponicd  aiba,  or  C.vdo'nia  Japoniea.  One  of  the 
earliest  flowering  dwarf  shrubs  of  the  garden,  producing 
beautiful  blush  flowers;  there  is  another  variety,  which  pro- 
duces scarlet  blossoms,  already  described  in  our  catalogue 
of  shrubs  as  an  evergreen,  which  is  a  mistake,  they  being 
both  deciduous  shrubs. 

Reseda.  Mignonette.  This  fragrant  Uttle  plant  have 
been  already  treated  of  as  an  annual;  it  may,  however,  be 
kept  under  cultivation  from  January  to  December,  by 
sowing  seed  at  different  seasons  in  a  greenhouse  or  warm 
room. 

Rhododendron.  Rose  Bny.  A  beautiful  genus  of  plants, 
chiefly  natives  of  India,  furnishing  clusters  of  flowers  of 
various  shades,  as  purple,  scarlet  or  crimson,  and  these 
variegated  in  spots  and  flakes ;   from  March  to  May. 

Rosea.  Rose.  This  Queen  of  Flowers,  so  universally 
admired,  nature  seems  to  have  distributed  over  the  whole 


CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS.  119 

civilized  world;  and  varieties  have  been  so  multiplied  of 
late  years,  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  make  a  judicious  choice; 
many  of  the  new  varieties,  however,  being  shy  bloomers,  are 
not  so  desirable  for  greenhouse  culture  as  the  common 
China  Rose,  a  select  assortment  of  which,  carefully  cultiva- 
ted, will  produce  blossoms  from  January  to  December. 

Rosmarinus.  Rosemary.  A  fragrant  half. hardy  slender 
leaved  plant,  which  has  been  held  in  great  esteem  for  ages. 
In  some  parts  of  Europe  it  is  customary  to  distribute 
sprigs  amongst  the  guests,  at  weddings  and  funerals. 

RucUa.  A  desirable  plant,  of  which  there  are  several 
species  ;  they  produce  purple  or  scarlet  tunnel-shaped  flow- 
ers ;   from  December  to  March. 

Salvia.  Mexican  Sage.  A  free. blooming  plant,  produ- 
cing in  the  different  species,  scarlet  and  blue  flowers  in 
spiked  whorls;  cuttings  of  which,  if  taken  from  stock  plants 
in  the  greenhouse,  early  in  Spring,and  planted  in  good  gar- 
den soil,  will  embellish  the  borders  three  or  four  months  of 
the  Summer. 

Sempervirum  arboreum.  Treebonse  leek.  A  succulent 
plant,  similar  to  the  common  house-leek,  on  a  dwarfish 
stem  ;   by  some  admired  as  an  evergreen. 

Stapelia.  A  genus  of  dwarf  succulent  plants,  producing 
beautiful  purple,  striped,  freckled  and  star-like  flowers, 
within  six  inches  of  the  surface ;  in  its  varieties  from  May  to 
November. 

Stcuia  serrata,  Vanilla-sc«nted  Sfevia.  This  plant, 
although  usually  cultivated  as  an  annual,  is  worthy  of 
greenhouse  culture,  from  its  affording  Fragrant  and  orna- 
mental materials  for  bouquets  the  whole  Winter. 

Strtltz  a  regina.  Queen's  strelitz.  A  beautiful  dwarf 
plant,  producing  from  a  stalk  from  one  to  two  feet  long, 
several  flowers  of  a  bright  yellow,  contrasted  with  blue  ;  from 
May  to  September. 

Tecoma  capensis.  A  perennial  plant,  producing 
orange-coloured  trumpet  flowers  in  clusters;  xcry  similar  to 
the  Bigonia  tribe,  towards  the  end  of  Summer. 


120  CATALOGUE  OF  GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. 

Thea.  Tea.  Of  this  celebrated  Chinese  plant,  which 
supplies  a  great  proportion  of  the  human  family  with  their 
domestic  beverage,  there  are  two  varieties.  Thea  virdis 
and  Thea  bohea.  The  plants  when  cultivated  in  a  greenhouse, 
are  by  no  means  of  rapid  growth,  nor  are  the  flowers  which 
are  white,  of  any  great  beauty. 

Tussilago  fragrance.  A  half-hardy  herbaceous  Peren- 
nial plant,  by  some  much  es'eemed  for  its  heliotrope 
scented  blossoms,  which  spring  up  in  clusters  from  De- 
cember to  March. 

Verbena  triphylla,  named  in  some  catalogues,  Aloysa 
citriodoras  A  deciduous  shrub,  generally  admired  for  the 
fragrance  of  its  leaves,  which  is  its  chief  recommendation, 
the  blossoms  which  are  white,  being  small. 

Verbena.  Splendid  Verbena.  A  tribe  of  plants  increas- 
ing in  variety  annually,  and  which  already  embrace  every 
shade  of  colour,  scarlet,  blue,  rose,  lilac,  white,  pink,  &c. 
Planted  in  the  flower  borders,  they  impart  beauty  and 
variety  through  the  Summer,  and  cultivated  in  the  green- 
house, they  embellish  it  a  great  part  of  the  Winter. 

Viburnum  thius.  Laurustinus,  A  much-admired  half 
hardy  evergreen  shrub,  producing  clusters  of  white  blossoms 
from  January  to  May.  There  are  other  species  very 
similar  in  habit,  and  one  with  striped  leaves. 

Viola.  Violet.  Of  those  beauties  of  the  garden,  some 
of  which  are  denominated  u  Florist's  Flowers,"  there  are 
upwards  of  a  hundred  species  and  varieties.  The  early 
Violets  are  highly  fragrant,  and  the  variety  and  beauty  of 
the  Pansey  tribe,  almost  exceed  description  or  conception. 
As  these  splendid  dwarf  plants  decorate  the  greenhouse  and 
flower  borders  from  January  to  December,  they  are  worthy 
of  careful  cultivation. 

Yucca,  aloe-folia,  and  its  beautiful  variety,  variegata,  are 
desirable  plants  to  cultivate,  from  their  singular  appearance, 
contrasted  with  other  plants.  Their  blossoms,  which 
are  white,  grow  in  spikes,  but  the  plants  do  not  flower  much 
until  several  years  old. 


121 
OBSERVATIONS  ON   THE  WEATHER, 

AS  INFLUENCED  BY 

CHANGES   OF  THE  MOON. 


Lest  the  reader  should  judge,  from  my  introducing  this 
suhject,  that  I  am  an  advocate  for  Moon-planting,  in  any 
other  sense  than  in  ascribing  the  various  changes  of  the 
weather  to  the  influence  of  that  great  luminary,  I  would 
here  offer  a  few  observations  in  reference  to  the  practice 
aud  prejudices  of  many  persons  in  choosing  the  first  quarter 
of  the  Moon  for  planting  such  vegetables  as  yield  their 
produce  above  the  surface,  as  Cabbage,  &c.  and  the  last 
quarter  or  wane  of  the  Moon  for  such  as  grow  and  yield 
•heir  produce  chiefly  in  the  earth,  and  below  the  surface,  as 
Potatoes,  &c. 

I  would  first  observe,  that  if  the  Moon  has  any  direct 
influence  over  vegetable  productions,  it  must  operate  in 
many  cases  quite  the  reverse  to  what  these  theorists  gene- 
rally aim  at ;  for  instance,  if  the  earth  and  weather  should 
happen  to  be  dry  in  the  first  week  after  planting  certain 
species  of  seed,  such  would  fail  to  germinate  for  want  of  its 
most  essential  aliment,  moisture  ;  and  in  consequence  of 
such  seeds  laying  dormant  in  the  earth,  until  after  another 
change  of  the  Moon,  if  that  luminary  influences  the  seed  at 
all,  in  such  case  it  must  be  contrary  to  the  objects  of  the 
honest  planter. 

As  I  deem  this  argument  alone  sufficient  to  shake  the 
foundation  of  Moon-planting,  in  the  sense  I  have  described, 
I  shall  at  once  submit  to  the  reader's  attention,  the  following 
observations,  and  table,  from  the  pen  of  the  justly  celebrated 
Dr.  Adam  Clarke.  Some  exceptions,  however,  may  be 
taken  to  his  rules  ith  regard  to  the  wind,  which  does  not 
operate  in  all  pi  lea  alike.  For  example,  in  rainy  seasons 
with  us,  the  v  id  is  generally  East,  North-East  or  South- 
East,  and  cold  weather  comes  by  a  North-West  wind.     In 

11 


122  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  WEATHER. 

England,  where  these  calculations  were  made,  it  is  m  some 
respects  different. 

"  From  my  earliest  childhood  I  was  bred  up  on  a  little 
farm  which  I  was  taught  to  care  for  and  cultivate  ever  since 
I  was  able  to  spring  the  rattle,  use  the  whip,  manage  the 
sickle,  or  handle  the  spade,  and  as  I  found  that  much  of  our 
success  depended  on  a  proper  knowledge  and  management 
of  the  weather,  I  was  led  to  study  it  ever  since  I  was  eight 
years  of  age.  I  believe  meteorology  is  a  natural  science^ 
and  one  of  the  first  that  is  studied  ;  and  that  every  child  in 
the  country  makes  untaught,  some  progress  in  it ;  at  least, 
so  it  was  with  me.  I  had  actually  learned,  by  silent  obser- 
vation, to  form  good  conjectures  concerning  the  coming 
weather,  and  on  this  head,  to  teach  wisdom  to  those  who 
were  perfect,  especially  among  those  who  had  not  been 
obliged,  like  me,  to  watch  earnestly;  that  what  was  so 
necessary  to  the  family  support  should  not  be  spoiled  by  the 
weather  before  it  was  housed. 

Many  a  time,  even  in  tender  youth,  have  I  watched  the 
heavens  with  anxiety,  examined  the  different  appearances  of 
the  morning  and  evening  Sun,  the  phases  of  the  Moon,  the 
scintillation  of  the  stars,  the  course  and  colour  of  the  clouds, 
the  flight  of  the  crow  and  swallow,  the  gambols  of  the  colt5 
the  fluttering  of  the  ducks,  and  the  loud  screams  of  the 
seamew — not  forgetting  the  hue  and  croaking  of  the  frogs. 
From  the  little  knowledge  I  had  derived  from  close  observa- 
tion, I  often  ventured  to  direct  our  agricultural  operations 
in  reference  to  the  coming  days,  and  was  seldom  much  mis- 
taken in  my  reckoning. 

The  following  table,  purporting  to  be  the  work  of  the  late 
Dr.  Herschel,  has  been  variously  published.  I  have  carefully 
consulted  this  table  for  years,  and  from  a  conviction,  that  no 
rules  could  be  devised  liable  to  so  few  exceptions  ;  I  have? 
by  a  little  alteration  in  its  arrangements,  prepared  it  for  pub- 
lication, illustrated  with  such  further  observations  as  may 
be  deemed  interesting  to  the  general  reader." 


123 

For  telling  the  Weather  thro  ugh  all  the  Lunations  of  each  year,  for  ever. 

This  table  from  being  constructed  on  a  due  consideration  of  the 
attraction  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  in  their  several  positions  respecting 
the  earth,  will,  by  simple  inspection,  show  the  observer  what  kind  of 
weather  will  most  probably  follow  the  entrance  of  the  Moon  into  any  of 
its  quarters,  and  that  so  near  tbe  truth  as  seldom  or  never  to  mislead. 


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124 


MONTHLY  CALENDAR. 


The  object  of  this  Calendar  is  to  furnish  in  a  condensed- 
form,  monthly  directions  for  the  culture  of  some  plants  not 
previously  mentioned  in  this  work ;  and  also  to  direct  the 
reader's  attention  to  the  regular  management  of  such  plants 
as  have  been  heretofore  treated  of.  In  pursuit  of  the 
jatter  object,  references  will  be  made  to  former  pages,  so  as 
to  exhibit,  at  one  view,  the  business  of  the  garden  in  each 
month  of  the  year.  The  iigures  refer  to  the  pages  in  which 
further  directions  may  be  found  relative  to  the  operations 
adverted  to» 


JANUARY. 

'Prognostics  foretoken  most  truly  some  things, 
Of  Summers,  and  Autumns,  and  Winters,  and  Springs; 
By  them  from  the  past  we  may  all  ascertain 
The  future,  respecting  the  winds  and  the  rain." 


Having  shown  in  page  104,  that  Heat,  Air,  and  Water,  are 
the  food  of  plants,  and  necessary  to  the  preservation  of 
their  health  and  life,  if  given  in  due  proportion  according 
to  circumstances,  I  would,  at  this  season  of  the  year 
especially,  salute  the  gardener  with  a  "be  ye  temperate  in 
all  things." 

Temperance  in  the  use  of  water,  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance in  the  Winter  season,  for  several  reasons  which  may 
be  given.  In  the  first  place,  water  will  attract  frost,  and, 
therefore,  should  be  used  very  sparingly  in  frosty  weather  ; 


January. 1  monthly  calendar.  125 

another  consideration  is,  that  in  the  absence  of  heat  and 
air,  plants  cannot  absorb  much  moisture,  and  consequently 
must  become  injured  from  excessive  watering  ;  ami  it  may 
be  observed  further,  that  it  is  not  prudent  to  keep  plants  in 
an  extremely  vigorous  state,  until  the  season  arrives  when 
the  jxternal  air  is  soft_and  salubrious ;  they  can  then  have 
a  due  proportion  of  heat,  air,  and  moisture  at  the  same  time. 

Perhaps  the  next  important  point  to  be  attended  to  at 
this  time  is,  to  see  that  the  greenhouse,  or  room,  in  which 
plants  are  intended  to  be  preserved,  is  calculated  for  the 
purpose.  The  room  should  be  light  and  airy,  and  yet  so 
secure  as  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  external  cold  air,  or  the 
departure  of  warm  air  in  the  night  season. 

A  Fahrenheit  thermometer  is  indispensable  in  a  green- 
house, or  room,  where  plants  are  kept,  and  the  temperature 
should  be  always  up  as  nearly  as  possible  to  40  decrees,  in 
the  absence  of  the  Sun.  If  the  gardener  retire  to  rest  in  this 
variable  climate,  leaving  the  mercury  much  below  40,  he 
may  expect  to  find  his  plants  frozen  in  the  morning. 

A  good  brick  flue  is  better  calculated  for  heating  a  small 
greenhouse,  than  any  other  method  ;  because  after  a  suffi- 
cient fire  has  been  made  to  heat  the  bricks  thoroughly,  they 
will  retain  the  heat  through  a  Winter  night,  whereas  an 
iron  stove  with  its  metal  pipes  will  cool  as  the  fire  gets  low; 
and  expose  the  plants  to  cold,  towards  morning,  which  is 
the  time  they  most  need  protection.  The  heat  from  iron  is 
moreover  too  dry  and  parching,  while  an  evaporation  or 
salubrious  steam  may  be  raised  from  bricks,  by  sprinkling 
the  flue  occasionally,  which  would  operate  on  the  plants 
similar  to  healthful  dew  drops. 

At  this  season  of  the  year  especially,  sitting-rooms,  or 
parlours,  are  heated  in  the  daytime  to  full  20  degrees 
higher  than  what  is  necessary  for  the  preserv  ution  of  plants  ; 
consequently,  as  the  heat  decreases  in  the  night  season, 
plants  ofton  get  injured,  unless  a  fire  is  kept  up.  Air  must 
be  admitted  to  plants  kept  in  this  way,  at  all  opportunities  ; 

11* 


126  monthly  calendar.  \Ftbniary. 

and  more  water  will  be  necessary  for  such  plants,  than  those 
kept  in  a  greenhouse  would  require.  For  the  management 
of  bulbous  roots,  in  pots  or  glasses,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
page  98. 


FEBRUARY. 

"A  cold  sour  Autumn,  they  sternly  maintain, 
A  long  severe  Winter  will  bring  in  its  tram  ; 
If  Summer  and  Autumn  be  both  dry  and  warm, 
Calm  opens  the  Winter, — it  closes  in  storm. J' 

Having  in  the  previous  month  discussed  some  important 
points  relative  to  the  general  care  of  plauts,  I  now  proceed 
to  notice  a  few  of  those  kinds  that  require  attention  at  this 
particular  season : 

Camellias,  or  Japan  Roses. — There  are  numerous 
varieties  of  this  valuable  class  of  plants,  exhibiting  every 
shade  in  succession,  from  desp  crimson  to  the  purest  white  ; 
in  some  imperceptibly  blended,  in  others  strikingly  con- 
trasted. They  are  unrivalled  objects  of  beauty  from 
October  to  May,  being  set  in  a  foliage  of  fine  glossy  verdure- 

Double  Camellias  are  generally  propagated  on  stocks  of 
the  single,  which  are  procured  by  planting  cuttings  of  the 
young  shoots  in  light  mould  under  bell  glasses ;  on  these, 
when  grown  to  a  sufficient  size,  are  inarched  the  finer  kinds 
of  double.  Sometimes  these  latter  are  also  struck  by  cut- 
tings ;  but  as  their  progress  by  such  method  is  generally 
slow  and  uncertain,  it  is  seldom  resorted  to.  These  valuable 
plants  are  too  often  injured  by  amateurs,  from  misapplied 
care  bestowed  upon  them,  so  that  their  whole  compensation 
and  enjoyment  is  reduced  to  the  mere  possession  of  a  hand- 
some green  shrub.  Destined  from  the  extreme  beauty  and 
unrivalled  delicacy  of  their  flowers  to  become  the  chief 
pride  and  ornament  of  the  greenhouse  and  drawing-room 
in  the  winter  season,  the  Camellias  should  have  a  fair  chance 
given  them  to  exhibit  their  fine  bloom  in  perfection. 


February.]  monthly  calendar.  127 

It  should  be  observed,  that  Camellias  are  by  no  means 
tender  shrubs,  but  require  to  be  kept  in  a  medium  even 
temperature,  and  they  generally  succeed  best  in  a  green- 
house, where  the  atmosphere  is  damp.  As  the  buds  begin 
to  swell,  they  will  require  more  water  than  at  any  other 
time,  which  may  be  applied  from  the  rose  of  a  watering  pot, 
or  syringe,  while  in  bud,  but  when  in  blossom  it  should  be 
applied  to  the  earth. 

If  Camellias  be  kept  where  there  is  a  dry  air,  occasioned 
from  fire  heat,  they  must  have  plenty  of  the  natural  air  at 
all  opportunities,  or  the  buds  will  become  brown  and  fall 
off;  and  if  they  are  subject  to  extreme  cold  at  night, 
which  is  too  frequently  the  case,  when  kept  in  rooms  of  an 
uneven  temperature,  premature  decay  of  the  buds  Avill 
inevitably  be  the  consequence. 

To  preserve  Camellias  in  a  healthy  condition,  they  should 
be  kept  in  fresh,  moderately  light  soil,  consisting  of  sandy 
loam  taken  from  under  grass  sods,  and  leaf  mould  well 
mixed  ;  nothing  being  more  injurious  to  them  than  over- 
potting  ;  they  should  not  be  shifted  into  larger  pots,  until  the 
projection  of  the  roots  show  evidently  that  they  arc  in  need 
of  it.  Few  plants  bear  privation  of  sunshine  in  Summer 
better  than  these  ;  they  should,  however,  be  kept  in  an 
open  situation,  where  they  can  have  a  full  share  of  light 
and  air. 

Such  bulbous  roots  as  may  be  in  progress  of  blooming, 
will  require  attention  this  month  ;  turn  them  frequently  to 
the  light,  as  recommended  in  page  99,  and  increase  the 
supplies  of  water  as  they  advance  towards  perfection. 

Attend  to  Campanula  Pyramidalis,  Hepeticas,  Mimu- 
lus,  Senecios,  and  herbaceous  plants  in  general ;  those 
not  in  bud  should  be  watered  very  sparingly.  Shrubby 
plants,  especially  those  which  bud  and  blossom  in  the  Win- 
ter, and  early  part  of  the  Spring,  as  the  several  varieties  of 
Acacias,  Azelias,  Calceolarias,  Correas,  Coronillas,  Daph- 
nes, Diosmas,  Eupatoriums,  Eutaxias,  Fuchias,    Gnidias, 


1<J8  monthly  calendar.  [February. 

Heaths,  Laurustinuses,  Lemon  trees,  Rhododendrons, 
Orange  trees,  &c,  will  require  water  once  or  twice  a  week, 
according  to  circumstances,  and  air  should  be  given  at  all 
opportunities,  or  the  plants  will  not  blossom  in  perfection. 

For  the  benefit  of  such  as  may  wish  to  raise  early  plants 
from  seed,  or  to  force  Dahlia  or  other  roots,  I  subjoin  the 
following  brief  directions  for  making  a  small  hot-bed  :  In  a 
border  exposed  to  the  morning  sun,  let  a  pit  be  dug  about 
thirty  inches  deep,  five  feet  wide,  and  six  long  ;  this  will 
admit  of  two  sashes,  each  three  feet  by  five.  A  frame  of 
suitable  dimensions  may  be  made  of  plank  ;  the  back  plank 
may  be  two  feet  wide,  and  the  end  ones  sloped  so  as  to 
make  a  fifteen  inch  plank  do  for  the  front.  The  frame 
being  made,  set  it  over  the  pit,  and  then  get  a  load  of  horse 
dung,  fresh  from  the  livery  stables,  (not  such  as  has  lain 
long,  or  may  have  been  soddened  with  water>)  spread  the 
dung  evenly  in  the  pit  until  full,  then  put  into  the  frame 
light  rich  mould,  or  compost,  to  the  depth  of  ten  or  twelve 
inches,  and  the  seed  may  be  sown  as  soon  as  it  gets  warm. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  observe,  that  in  making  hot-beds, 
the  quantity  of  top  mould  should  be  regulated  according  to 
the  substance  of  manure  in  the  pit,  and  this  may  vary 
according  to  the  use  the  beds  are  intended  for,  or  to  other 
circumstances.  After  the  seeds  are  sown,  the  beds  will 
require  constant  attention  ;  cover  up  warm  in  cold  nights, 
and  give  air  at  all  opportunities,  to  prevent  the  plants  from 
growing  weak. 

As  we  are  subject  to  North- West  winds  at  this  season, 
which  produce  extreme  freezing,  it  will  be  better  to  delay 
the  making  of  hot-beds  to  the  first  week  in  March,  at  which 
time  opportunities  will  frequently  ofter  of  giving  plants  a 
tolerable  share  of  salubrious  air,  which  is  indispensable  to 
their  preservation. 


March.]  monthly  calendar.  129 

MARCH. 

"If  the  Sun  appear  dim,  surrounded  with  haze, 
And  his  disk  ill  defined,  and  laded  his  rays:— 
If  white  at  his  setting— of  power  if  shorn, 
The  signs  are  all  certain,  there'll  soon  be  a  storm." 

As  the  Spring  progresses,  the  external  air  will  be  soft 
and  salubrious  ;  at  which  time  it  should  be  freely  admitted 
to  plants  kept  in  rooms  and  greenhouses.  In  proportion  as 
the  plants  get  air,  they  should  have  water  applied  from  the 
rose  of  a  watering  pot. 

Monthly  Roses  will  require  attention  this  month.  It 
should  be  recollected,  that  it  is  from  the  young  wood  of  these 
plants  that  buds  are  to  be  expected  :  their  growth  should, 
therefore,  be  encouraged,  by  admitting  sun  and  air  at  all 
opportunities,  and  water  when  necessary. 

Primulas.—  There  are  several  species  of  plants  under 
this  name,  which  exhibit  their  blossoms  in  March  and  April ; 
some  of  which  are  very  beautiful,  as  the  Polyanthus, 
English  Spring  Flowers,  Auricula,  &c.  ;  but  I  would  now 
direct  the  reader's  attention  to  the  Chinese  varieties  some 
of  which  are  pure  white,  and  others  of  a  lilac  colour.  They 
are  first  raised  from  seed  sown  in  the  Spring,  and  will  keep 
two  or  three  years. 

Plants  that  are  full  grown,  will  commence  blooming  in 
December,  and  continue  to  produce  umbels  of  flowers  for 
five  or  six  months,  if  well  attended  to  ;  they  are  generally 
in  their  prime  this  month,  at  which  time  a  little  water  should 
be  applied  to  the  earth  about  twice  a  week. 

Many  species  and  varieties  of  seeds  may  be  sown  this 
month  in  hot  beds,  prepared  as  directed  under  the  head 
February,  page  12S. 

Auricula,  Polyanthus,  and  all  other  species  of  Primula 
seed,  should  now  be  sown.  Mignonette,  Ten  Week  Stock, 
and  Dahlia  seed,  from  choice  varieties,  may  also  be  sown 
in  pots,  and  care  should  be  taken  when  the  plants  are  up, 
that  they  be  not  injured  by  excess  of  moisture.     107. 


130  monthly  calendar.  [March. 

There  are  some  splendid  varieties  of  the  Schizanthus 
which  deserre  attention  at  an  early  season.  They  are 
rather  difficult  of  cultivation  in  pots,  being  apt  to  suffer  by 
excess  of  heat  or  moisture;  and  often,  when  in  full  bloom, 
die  off  suddenly  by  decays  at  the  base  of  the  stem.  No 
plants  will,  however,  more  amply  repay  all  the  care  and 
trouble  that  may  be  bestowed  on  them,  than  those  of  the 
elegant  genus  Schizanthus.  The  best  soil  for  them isloam^ 
and  leaf  mould,  with  a  small  portion  of  sand.  They 
should  be  repotted  as  often  as  the  pots  are  filled  with  roots, 
till  they  come  into  full  flower. 

All  the  different  varieties  of  tender  annual,  biennial,  and 
perennial  flower  seeds,  designated  thus  §  and  thus  f  in  our 
catalogues,  pages  16  and  28,  may  be  sown  this  month  in 
hot-beds,  or  in  pots  kept  in  the  greenhouse. 

Hyacinths,  Narcissus,  and  other  bulbs  in  glasses,  must 
have  the  water  shifted  every  week,  and  the  glasses  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  every  two  or  three  weeks,  100 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month,  roots  of  Amaryllis  for- 
mosissima,  Gladiolus  psiiacinna^  Tiger  flowers.  Tuberous, 
and  such  other  bulbs  as  may  have  been  preserved  dry 
through  the  winter,  may  now  be  planted  in  pots  and  kept 
in  a  greenhouse  or  light  room,  or  else  plunged  in  a  hot  bed, 
— Those  who  have  no  such  conveniences  may,  however, 
delay  the  planting  of  sound  bulbs,  until  the  weather  will 
admit  of  their  being  planted  in  warm  borders. 

Dahlia  roots  should  now  be  plunged  in  a  hot-bed,  to 
forward  them,  with  a  view  to  their  being  separated,  as  soon 
as  the  eyes  are  discernible.    SO. 


APRIL. 


"The  state  of  the  wind  augurs  rain,  as  they  say; — 
When  restless  in  changes,  now  this,  now  that  way, 
Or  hollow,  comes  whistling  plaintively  by, 
The  rain  it  betokens  is  probably  nigh.'' 

This  is  the  most  important  month  in  the  year  for  garden- 
ing operations.  If  not  done  towards  the  end  of  the  last  month 


April]  MONTHLY    CALENDAR.  131 

the  covering  must  be  taken  from  hardy  flowering  plants, 
early  in  this  month,  and  the  beds  and  borders  attended  to 
as  directed,  pages  21  and  35  ;  at  the  same  time,  clip  edg- 
ings of  box,  and  clean,  relay,  or  make  new  gravel  walks, 
&c,  13  ;  prune  and  transplant  flowering  shrubs,  37  and 
51 ;  transplant  also  hardy  herbaceous  plants,  32  and  33. 

Sow  flower  seeds  ;  the  hardiest  may  be  sown  in  the  open 
borders,  and  the  tender  in  the  beds,  22  to  31. 

All  the  soil  of  a  garden  should  be  dug  this  month,  if  pos- 
sible, and  pulverized  as  directed,  21  and  64. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  look  over  all  the  greenhouse  plants 
in  the  early  part  of  this  month ;  let  them  be  deprived  of 
dead  wood,  if  any,  by  a  careful  pruning;  at  the  same  time 
take  oft*  all  yellow  leaves ;  the  earth  at  the  top  of  the  pots 
should  be  loosened,  so  as  to  admit  the  sun  and  air  to  the 
roots  of  the  plants,  103  and  105 

If  insects  prevail  on  roses  or  other  plants,  a  fumigation 
with  tobacco  will  be  necessary. 

Bulbous  roots  will  require  some  attention  this  month ; 
those  in  bloom  in  the  garden  should  be  tied  up  to  wires  or 
small  sticks  ;  and  those  kept  inside  should  be  watered  in 
proportion  as  they  get  heat  and  air. 

The  Calla,  or  Ethiopian  Lily,  and  the  different  varieties 
of  Rhododendrons,  will  need  frequent  watering  while  in  bud 
and  blossom. 

Air  must  be  admitted  freely  to  all  greenhouse  plants 
towards  the  end  of  this  month,  in  order  to  prepare  them  for 
the  exposure  of  the  open  garden  next  month. 

For  ihe  method  of  managing  Dahlia  roots,  see  81  ;  pre- 
pare to  plant  tender  bulbous  roots,  towards  the  end  of  this, 
or  early  in  the  next  month.  The  following  should  be  for- 
warded in  pots,  which  may  be  kept  in  a  greenhouse  or  warm 
room,  or  they  may  be  plunged  in  a  hot-bed  ;  Amaryllises, 
66;  Gladioluses,  S2 ;  Lilies,  87;  Tuberoses,  96;  Tiger 
flowers,  97. 
Hydrangeas,  Pomegranates,  Verbenas,  and  other  decidu- 


132  MONTHLY    CALENDAR.  [May. 

ous  shrubby  plants,  should  be  cultivated  early  in  this  month 
to  promote  the  production  of  leaf  and  flower  buds. 

Biennial  seeds,  such  as  Wall-flower  and  Stock  Gilly- 
flower ;  also  all  kinds  of  tender  perennials  should  be  sown 
this  month,  if  not  previously  done  in  the  greenhouse,  or  in 
hot-beds,  22,31  and  107. 

For  an  exhibition  of  the  order  of  the  flowering  tribe  in 
this  month  and  the  next,  the  reader  is  referred  to  an  article 
entitled  the  Beauties  of  April  and  May,  pages  52  to  61. 


MAY. 

"  Much  dew  on  the  grass,  portends  as  all  say, 
That  day  which  succeeds  will  be  a  clear  day  ; 
But  when  no  dew  moistens  the  grass  on  the  plain, 
Kind  Heaven  requites  it  by  sending  it  rain." 

As  the  warm  weather  progresses,  the  gardener  should  be 
on  the  alert,  in  order  to  conquer  the  various  kinds  of  insects* 
Burn  tobacco  leaves  in  the  greenhouse,  so  as  to  fumigate 
the  plants  well,  before  they  are  removed  into  the  open  gar- 
den ;  and  such  plants  as  may  show  any  indications  of  being 
infested  with  the  eggs  of  insects,  should  be  sponged  with 
soap-suds,  and  afterwards  well  syringed  and  watered. 
Frequent  sprinkling  from  the  rose  of  a  watering-pot,  will 
prevent  insects  from  accumulating  ;  especially  if  the  water 
be  impregnated  with  tobacco,  by  a  bag  of  the  leaves  being 
steeped  therein  a  few  hours  previous  to  using  it. 

Choice  Geraniums  will  need  attention  this  month,  in 
order  that  they  may  exhibit  their  flowers  to  advantage. 
When  in  full  bloom,  care  should  be  taken  not  to  wet  the 
foliage  or  flowers,  but  this  may  be  done  freely  before  the 
buds  are  expanded. 

If  awnings  were  not  provided  last  month,  for  the  protec- 
tion of  choice  flowers,  it  should  be  attended  to  early  in  this 
month,  68,  85,  and  96 ;  Plant  Amaryllises,  66  ;  Double 
Dahlias,     81     and    82;    Gladioluses,  83;    Lilies,    88; 


Mai/.]  MONTHLY    CALENDAK.  133 

Tuberoses,  96 ;  Tiger  flowers,  97  ;  Sow  annual,  biennial 
and  perennial  flower  seeds  in  the  open  borders,  22  to  31. 
Attend  to  the  walks,  edgings,  &c.  and  see  that  tall  plants  are 
neatly  tied  to  sticks,  wires,  or  stakes,  14,  20,  82,  and  85. 
Procure  and  plant  such  perennial  plants  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  make  variety  in  the  flower  beds,  27  and  32. 

Greenhouse  plants  may  be  set  out  about  the  middle  of 
the  month,  and  it  should  be  done  in  cloudy  weather,  in 
order  that  they  may  be  prepared  gradually  for  the  shining 
of  the  sun  upon  them.  A  situation,  exposed  to  the  sun  for 
only  one  half  of  the  day,  is  preferable  for  most  plants 
especially  if  they  can  be  shaded  at  noon.  33. 

Many  plants,  such  as  Coronillas,  Heaths,  Aucubas, 
Myrtles,  Oleanders,  and  several  other  sorts,  are  subject  to 
be  infested  with  white  and  brown  scaly  insects  ;  if  these 
cannot  be  effectually  taken  from  the  plants  by  washing 
and  sponging,  let  the  plants  be  headed  down  early  in  the 
month  of  May,  and  if  they  are  well  attended  to,  new  branches 
will  shoot  out  on  the  old  stem. 

Such  Orange  trees  as  were  budded  last  July  or  August, 
should  also  be  headed  down  early  in  this  month. 

Auriculas,  Polyanthus  and  Daisies,  should  be  separated 
into  single  tufts,  and  planted  in  a  shady  border  for  increase, 
as  soon  as  they  have  done  blossoming. 

Such  Carnations  as  may  have  been  wintered  in  frames 
should  now  be  exposed  to  the  open  air,  in  the  flower  borders. 
Tulips,  which  will  be  in  full  perfection  by  the  middle  of 
this  month,  will  require  constant  attention.  96. 

Such  greenhouse  plants  as  may  have  done  blossoming 
may  be  pruned  this  month,  and  if  the  cuttings  be  planted  at 
this  time  they  will  strike  freely.  105. 

Cuttings  of  Salvia  splendens  and  fulgens,  will  produce 
strong  plants  for  blossoming  in  August,  if  planted  early  in 
this  month,  119.  Chrysanthemum  cuttings  should  now  be 
put  down,  and  the  suckers  divided,  and  planted  singly  in  the 
borders,  or  in  pots,  for  flowering  in  the  Autumn,  106. 

12 


134  MONTHLY  CALENDAR.  [June, 

JUNE. 

"  The  sky  dress'd  in  placid  soft  redness  at  night, 
Portends  the  next  day  will  be  cloudless  and  bright  j 
A  fierce  angry  redness  that  shoots  up  at  morn, 
And  tinges  the  clouds,  is  a  token  of  storm. 'r 

The  principal  sowing  season  may  be  considered  as  past  ; 
but  if  any  failures  should  have  happened  of  former  sowings, 
seeds  may  be  sown  the  early  part  of  this  month,  which  if 
kept  watered  occasionally,  will  grow  quickly. 

Greenhouse  plants  will  need  watering  every  evening,  in 
dry  warm  weather  ;  and  in  the  absence  of  dews,  some 
sorts  may  need  a  little  in  the  morning  at  sunrise,  104  ; 
Hydrangeas,  Daisies,  Polyanthus,  Primulas,  &c.  should  be 
kept  shaded  from  the  noonday  sun,  or  they  will  droop,  and 
some  may  die.  Carnations  and  Pinks  will  need  frequent 
waterings  at  the  roots,  and  the  branches  should  be  tied 
neatly  to  rods. 

Such  flowering  shrubs  as  may  have  been  planted  late  in 
the  Spring  season,  should  be  regularly  watered  in  dry  weather. 
Give  frequent  waterings  to  the  flower  beds,  in  general ;  cut 
down  dead  flower  stalks  ;  remove  decayed  planls,  and  care- 
fully replace  them  with  vigorous  ones  from  the  nursery  bed. 
Transplant  annual  flower  plants  into  the  regular  beds,  with 
a  small  trowel  or  neat  dibble,  26. 

Plant  Colchicums,  69;  finish  planting  Dahlias,  and  pro- 
vide poles  for  their  support,  81andS2  ;  water  them  occasion- 
ally in  dry  weather. 

Many  sorts  of  bulbous  roots  will  be  ripe  by  the  end  of  this 
month  ;  these  should  be  taken  up,  and  dried  as  directed, 
page  64  Those  cultivated  in  pots  should  not  be  watered 
after  the  foliage  is  decayed,  until  the  period  of  regermination 
takes  place,  65  and  98. 

Nnmerous  beautiful  flowers  exhibit  themselves  this  months 
some  of  which  are  noticed  in  an  article  entitled  The  Beauties 
of  April  and  May,    page    52  to  61.     There   are,   howeve 


July.]  MONTHLY    CALENDAR.  135 

several  others  worthy  of  notice,  which  are  omitted  in  that 
article.  The  several  species  of  the  Phlox  are  remarkably 
showy  plants,  and  very  desirable  to  cultivate,  as  they  blossom 
in  their  several  varieties  the  whole  season.  Besides  these 
are  all  the  splendid  varieties  of  Roses,  Pinks,  Lychnises, 
Sweet  Williams,  Fox  Glove,  Snap-dragons,  Perennial 
Lupins,  Verbenas,  Veronicas,  Valerians,  &c.  These  should 
be  all  attended  to,  and  their  branches  should  be  tied  to  neat 
stakes,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  exhibit  their  flowers  to  the 
greatest  possible  advantage,  28  to  34. 

Dahlias  that  are  intended  for  blossoming  this  year,  should 
be  planted  by  the  middle  of  this  month,  if  not  done  before. 


JULY. 


Xi  When  flowers  toward  evening  their  bosoms  expand, 
And  bask  in  the  sunbeams,  there's  no  rain  at  hand; — 
But  when  they  close  up  as  if  conscious  of  fear, 
They  augur  its  coming — it  no  doubt  is  near/' 

Greenhouse  plants  will  need  daily  care  at  this  season  ; 
let  them  be  watered  every  evening  in  dry  weather.  Such 
Geraniums  as  may  have  grown  large  and  unwiehlly,  should 
now  be  pruned,  in  order  that  their  size  and  appearance 
may  be  improved,   105. 

Garden  Roses  having  done  flowering  for  the  season, 
should  also  be  pruned.  Cut  out  all  old  exhausted  wood, 
and  where  it  is  too  thick  and  crowded,  shorten  such  shoots 
as  have  flowered,,  to  a  good  fresh  strong  eye,  or  bud,  accom- 
panied with  a  healthy  leaf.  All  wood  that  grows  after  this 
pruning,  will  ripen  perfectly,  and  produce  large  flowers  the 
ensuing  year. 

If  dry  warm  weather,  it  may  be  necessary  to  water  such 
flowering  shrubs  and  roses  as  were  planted  in  the  Spring  ; 
and  if  Dahlia  plants  could  be  watered  two  or  three  times  a 


136  MONTHLY    CALENDAR.  [AllgU8t. 

week,  it  would  be  beneficial  to  their  growth.  Give  regular 
sprinklings  from  the  r.»se  of  a  watering-pot,  or  syringe,  to 
shrubby  plants  in  general,  but  particularly  Camellias,  Orange 
and  Lemon  trees,  &c,  in  order  to  keep  them  in  a  healthy 
state. 

Such  bulbous  roots  in  pots,  whose  foliage  have  withered, 
should  be  kept  dry  until  the  period  of  regerminating,  65 
and  98  ;  others  may  be  taken  up  as  soon  as  ripe,  after 
which  the  offsets  may  be  parted  off,  and  both  these  and  the 
parent  bulbs  dried  for  planting  in  Autumn,  64. 

The  flower  garden  should  be  kept  weeded  and  watered^ 
and  the  seeds  gathered  as  they  ripen  ;  apply  neat  rods  to 
tall-growing  and  running  kinds  of  plants  13.  Nip  off  curled 
and  dead  leaves,  and  destroy  insects.  14. 

Orange  and  Lemon  trees  may  be  budded  at  any  time 
this  month,  and  those  which  were  headed  down  in  the 
Spring,  should  be  examined,  and  all  superfluous  shoots 
must  be  pruned  off  with  a  sharp  knife,  leaving  only  the 
strongest ;  the  tops  of  which  should  be  pruned  off  to  pro- 
mote their  branching.  Myrtles,  Oleanders,  and  such  other 
plants  as  may  have  been  headed  down  in  May,  will  need 
similar  treatment. 

Carnations,  Pinks,  Panseys,  Running  Verbenas,  &c° 
may  be  layed  this  month  for  propagation,  32  and  33  ; 
many  kinds  of  cuttings,  as  Geraniums,  Roses  and  exotic 
shrubs,  may  still  be  planted  with  success,  48. 


AUGUST. 

"  When  clouds  slow  dissolve,  as  if  ttirn'd  into  air, 
And  vanish  from  sight,  the  next  day  will  be  fair ; 
But  when,  in  succession,  they  darker  appear, 
With  watery  aspect,  then  know  rain  is  near." 

Greenhouse    plants  will  need    particular    attention    this 
month.     They  should  be  watered  every  evening  in  dry  wea= 


August.]  MONTHLY    CALENDAR.  137 

ther,  and  as  soon  as  the  extreme  heat  of  the  Summer  is  past, 
which  is  generally  by  the  latter  end  of  this  month,  or  early 
in  the  next,  preparation  must  be  made  for  replenishing  with 
fresh  compost,  and  repotting  such  plants  as  are  intended  to 
be  cultivated  through  the  Winter  in  a  greenhouse,  light 
room,  or  garden  frames.  Previous  to  the  commencement  of 
this  business,  let  such  compost  as  is  suited  to  the  various 
kinds  of  plants,  be  provided,  105. 

Those  who  may  have  a  number  of  plants  in  various  sized 
pots,  should  provide  a  few  new  pots  a  size  larger  than  the 
largest  in  use  ;  the  largest  plants  being  shifted  into  the  new 
pots,  leave  the  next  sized  pots  for  the  second-sized  plants, 
and  by  pursuing  this  plan  of  shifting  until  the  whole  are 
done,  the  smallest  pots  will  be  left  for  such  plants  as  have 
been  propagated  in  the  course  of  the  Summer. 

The  shifting  of  plants  requires  considerable  attention  and 
judgment,  as  some  plants,  if  kept  in  too  large  pots,  will  sus- 
tain considerable  injury  :  therefore,  in  such  cases,  where  the 
fibrous  roots  have  not  spread  around  the  pot,  nothing  more 
is  necessary  than  to  rub  off  a  little  of  the  outside  mould,  and 
then  to  substitute  fresh  compost  for  the  roots  to  run  in. 

Such  plants  as  may  have  become  pot-bound,  and  whose 
roots  are  matted  around  the  pot,  will,  in  many  cases  bear 
reducing.  If  the  matted  roots  are  carefully  pared  off,  and  the 
plants  shifted  into  good  fresh  compost,  they  will  soon  take 
root,  and  grow  freely  :  but  it  will  be  necessary  to  prune  off 
all  surplus  branches  of  the  plants,  previous  to  repotting  them, 
and  to  shade  them  for  a  week  or  ten  days. 

Pieces  of  tile,  or  broken  pots,  should  be  laid  over  the 
aperture  at  the  bottom  of  the  pots,  to  enable  the  surplus 
moisture  to  drain  off,  or  the  roots  will  sustain  injury. 

The  flower  beds  will  need  attention  this  month.  Water 
Dahlias  and  other  choice  plants  in  dry  weather  ;  cut  down 
all  decayed  flower  stalks,  as  soon  as  the  seed  is  gathered, 
and  pull  up  annuals  as  they  cease  to  flower. 

Plant  Oxalises  in  small  pots,  90,  and  prepare  compost 
for  other  tender  bulbs  to  be  planted  in  pots  next  month. 

12* 


138  monthly  calendar.  [September. 

Rose  shrubs,  Orange,  Lemon  trees,  &c.  &c.,  should  be 
budded  early  in  this  month  if  not  done  before. 


SEPTEMBER. 

"  Light  vapours  o'er  valleys  and  rivers  at  night, 
Foretoken  the  next  day  salubrious  and  bright, 
Especially  when  they  at  morning  appear, 
To  rise  up  the  hill  sides,  and  vanish  in  air." 

Such  greenhouse  plants  as  may  have  been  repotted  and 
pruned  in  the  course  of  the  last  month,  should  be  looked 
over,  and  if  they  have  taken  root,  they  should  be  exposed 
gradually  to  the  Sun,  and  watered  moderately  in  dry 
weather. 

If  any  of  the  greenhouse  plants  were  plunged  in  the 
flower  beds,  they  should  be  taken  up  and  pruned  early  in 
this  month,  and  then  put  into  suitable  sized  pots,  33. 

Half-hardy  perennials,  such  as  Carnations,  Daisies, 
Primulas,  Lilies,  Hydrangeas,  &c.  should  be  taken  up, 
divided  carefully  at  the  roots,  and  then  put  into  moderate 
sized  pots,  and  attended  to  as  before  directed  for  greenhouse 
plants. 

Many  hardy  kinds  of  flower  seeds  may  be  sown  this 
month,  23  and  31.  This  is  a  good  season  to  propagate 
all  kinds  of  hardy  perennial  plants,  by  parting  the  roots; 
and  those  that  were  raised  from  seed  in  the  Spring,  may 
be  transplanted  into  regular  flower  beds,  in  cloudy  or  wet 
weather,  26  and  33.  Plant  Crown  Imperials,  69  ;  Persian 
Cyclamens,  69;  Ixias,  86;  Lachenalias,  87;  Lilies,  87; 
Ornithogalums,  89  ;  Oxalises,  89. 

Such  Chrysanthemums  as  are  intended  to  be  protected 
while  in  blossom,  should  now  be  taken  up  and  planted  in 
moderate  sized  pots,  106. 

Seeds  of  Schizanthus,  Ten- week  Stock,  Mignonette,  and 
such  other  species  as  may  be  desired  to  decorate  the  par- 
lour or  greenhouse,  should  be  sown  this  month.  107. 


October.]  monthly  calendar.  139 

OCTOBER. 

•'  A  warm  open  Winter  doth  often  succeed ; 
A  hot  and  dry  Summer,  by  all  'tis  agreed  ; 
A  hard  frosty  Winter  its  rigour  retains, 
And  holds  gentle  Spring  in  its  cold  icy  chains." 

In  the  early  part  of  this  month,  preparation  must  be  made 
for  the  housing  of  greenhouse  plants.  Previous  to  this 
being  done,  let  the  room  or  greenhouse  be  white-washed  with 
lime,  which  will  prove  pernicious  to  insects,  and  prevent 
their  generating  amongst  the  plants. 

Begin  the  first  week  in  this  month  to  place  all  the  shrubby 
plants,  such  as  Orange  and  Lemon  trees,  on  the  back 
shelves;  others  should  be  so  placed  that  they  can  be  cultiva- 
ted to  advantage,  and  they  shouldall  be  arranged  in  regular 
gradation,  so  as  to  have  the  low-growing  or  dwarf  plants  on 
the  front  shelves. 

Stockgillies  and  Wall-flowers  should  be  taken  up,  potted 
and  kept  in  a  shady  situaion,  until  they  have  taken  root. 

Such  Dahlia  plants  as  have  been  cultivated  in  pots  should 
be  sheltered  from  the  chilling  air,  and  those  in  the  ground 
will  need  attention,  65. 

Prepare  the  ground  for  all  the  hardy  kinds  of  bulbous 
flower  roots,  64.  Towards  the  end  of  the  month  plant 
Anemones  and  Ranunculuses,  68;  Crocuses,  68 ;  Crown 
Imperials,  69 ;  Gladioluses,  83  :  Hyacinths,  84  ;  Irises, 
85;  Ixias  and  Jonquils,  86;  Lilies,  67;  Narcissus,  88; 
Ornithogalums,  90;  Pseonies,  91;  Tulips,  95,  For  the 
management  of  bulbous  roots  in  pots  and  glasses,  see  pages 
9S  to  100.  Prune  flowering  shrubs,  and  make  new  planta- 
tions of  them,  51. 

Chrysanthemums  should  be  neatly  tied  up  to  small  sticks, 
and  watered  occasionally  with  liquid  manure,  to  promote 
their  blossoming  in  full  perfection.  Those  in  pots  intended 
to  be  protected  for  late  flowering,  should  be  watched  and 
taken  in,  on  the  appearance  of  a  frosty  night;  they  may, 


140  monthly  calendar.  [November. 

however,  be  exposed  to  the  air  as  much  as  possible  when  it 
is  soft  and  salubrious,  as  should  all  other  half-hardy  plants. 
106. 


NOVEMBER. 

"  When  nuts  are  but  few,  and  they  small  and  hollow, 
A  cold  and  wet  harvest,  there's  no  doutt,  will  follow; 
But  when  they  are  plenty,  and  good,  'tis  agreed, 
A  rich  golden  harvest  is  sure  to  succeed." 

During  the  continuance  of  mild  weather,  greenhouse 
plants  should  have  air  at  aii  opportunities,  and  water  in  pro- 
portion, as  heat  and  air  are  attainable,  103.  Bulbous  roots' 
in  pots  and  glasses  will  also  need  attention,  93  to  100. 

Half  hardy  plants,  such  as  Stock  gillies,  Wall  flowers, 
Carnations,  Primulas,  Hydrangeas,  Daisies,  &c.  must  either 
be  pi  iced  in  frames,  or  in  a  greenhouse  early  in  this  month. 

If  Dahlia,  Tuberose,  and  other  tender  roots  were  not 
taken  up  last  month,  let  it  be  done  in  due  time  this  month, 
65. 

Cover  up  flower  beds  with  leaves,  straw,  or  light  litter, 
35;  finish  planting  bulbous  roots  before  the  frost  sets  in. 
Plant  Anemones  and  Ranunculuses,  68  ;  Crocuses,  69. 
Hyacinths,  84  ;  Irises,  85  ;  Ixias  and  Jonquils,  86;  Lilies, 
87 ;  Narcissus,  89 ;  Pseonies,  91 ;  Tulips,  92  to  96  ; 
These,  and  all  other  kinds  of  plants,  will  need  protection 
before  the  setting  in  of  the  Winter,  64.  Flowering  and 
ornamental  shrubs  may  be  planted  in  mild  weather,  51  ; 
lay  long  litter  round  the  roots  of  them,  and  also  of  the  Grape 
vines  and  other  tender  plants,  shrubs,  &c,  51. 

Before  the  Winter  sets  in  severely,  let  such  Chrysanthe- 
mums as  may  have  been  cultivated  in  pots  be  pla  ted  in  the 
garden,  or  as  soon  as  they  have  done  blossoming,  106. 

Plant  Gladioluses  in  pots,  b3  ;  also  such  other  bulbous 
roots  as  may  be  required  to  be  kept  in  rooms,  page  99. 


December.']  monthly  calendar.  141 

Mignonette,  and  other  tender  seedling  plants  under  pro- 
tection, will  require  attention  at  this  season;  they  should 
not  be  over  watered,  or  the  plants  will  perish  with  mildew. 

Camellias  should  be  frequently  syringed  while  in  bud,  or 
watered  over  the  foliage  with  a  rose  attached  to  the  wa- 
tering pot,  as  should  all  other  shrubby  plants. 


DECEMBER 

"  A  wet  sultry  Summer,  prognostics  affirm, 
A  boist'rous  Autumn  will  bring  in  its  turn  ; 
A  cold  sour  Autumn  and  bummer  portend 
A  Winter  severe  from  beginning  to  end." 

If  all  was  not  done  as  directed  last  month,  there  is  now 
no  time  to  be  lost.  All  kinds  of  tender  plants  in  pots, 
should  be  set  into  frames  or  pits,  and  plunged  in  old  tan  or 
light  mould ;  and  in  the  event  of  severe  frosts,  coverings  of 
mats,  straw,  &c.  must  be  laid  over  them. 

Greenhouse  plants  will  need  constant  care  and  attention. 
When  water  is  necessary,  let  it  be  given  in  mild  weather, 
103.  In  case  of  accidents  happening  from  frost,  I  would 
remark,  that  the  sudden  transition  from  cold  to  heat,  is  often 
more  destructive  to  plants  than  frost  itself.  If,  therefore, 
plants  get  frozen,  and  cannot  be  screened  from  the  rays  of 
the  Sun,  they  should  be  watered  as  the  air  gets  warm,  and 
before  they  begin  to  thaw.  If  sufficient  attention  be  paid, 
so  as  to  have  the  temperature  of  the  house  gradually  rising, 
as  the  water  is  sprinkled  over  the  leaves,  it  may  be  a  means 
of  preserving  plants  that  would  otherwise  be  destroyed. 

See  that  the  greenhouse,  or  room  in  which  plants  are  kept, 
is  so  secure  as  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  cold  air,  or  the 
departure  of  warm  air  in  the  night  season. 

Collect  from  heaths  and  rocks,  such  kinds  of  earth  as  are 
suited  to  the  different  species  of  exotic  plants,  and  gather  up 
leaves  of  trees.  If  you  intend  to  make  hot-beds  of  them, 
they  should  be  put  together  dry  ;  but  if  you  intend  them  for 
compost,  they  may  be  laid  together  as  wet  as  possible,  in 
order  that  the)  may  rot  for  use  in  succeeding  years. 


142  THE  MATRIMONIAL  GARDEN. 

OC/^The  following  article,  entitled  the  Matrimonial  Garden, 
is  humbly  submitted  as  an  appendage  to  this  work,  by 

THE  AUTHOR. 


THE 

MATniMO'M'KAlL  ©AMBUKTc 


Man  is  formed  for  social  enjoyment,  and  if  it  be  allowed 
that  "  it  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone, '?  it  may  be  justly 
inferred  that  it  is  not  good  that  woman  should  be  alone; 
hence  a  union  of  interests  indicates  a  union  of  persons  for 
their  mutual  benefit.  By  this  union,  a  sort  of  seclusion 
from  the  rest  of  our  species  takes  place  ;  and  as  a  garden 
is  a  retired  apartment,  appropriated  to  culture  and  im- 
provement, the  married  state  may  not  be  inaptly  compared 
with  it  in  many  respects. 

It  is  good  and  honourable  for  the  human  species,  pru- 
dently and  cautiously  to  approach  this  delightful  enclosure* 
Its  entrance  in  general  is  extremely  gay  and  glittering' 
being  strewed  with  flowers  of  every  hue  and  every  fragrance* 
calculated  to  charm  the  eye  and  please  the  taste  ;  but  they 
are  not  all  so  ;  and  as  there  are  many  persons  who  may 
wish  to  enter  this  garden  at  some  time  or  other,  who  are  yet 
strangers  to  its  various  productions,  their  attention  should 
be  directed  to  the  cultivation  of  those  plants  which  are 
beneficial,  and  to  the  avoiding  or  rooting  up  of  those  which 
are  injurious. 

And.  first,  let  me  caution  adventurers  in  this  garden  not 
to  dream  of  permanent  happiness ;  if  you  should  so  dream, 
experience  will  soon  make  you  wiser,  as  such  happiness 
never  existed  but  in  visionary  heads.  If  you  are  desirous 
that  this  garden  should  yield  you  all  the  bliss  of  which  it  is 
capable,  you  must  take  with  you  that  excellent  flower  called 


MATRIMONIAL  GARDEN.  143 

good  humour,  which,  of  all  the  flowers  of  nature,  is  the 
most  delicious  and  delicate  ;  do  not  drop  it  or  lose  it,  as 
many  do  soon  after  they  enter  the  garden — it  is  a  treasure 
that  nothing  can  supply  the  loss  of.  When  you  get  to  the 
end  of.  the  first  walk,  which  contains  about  thirty  steps, 
commonly  called  "the  Honey  Moon  Path,"  you  will  find 
the  garden  open  into  a  vast  variety  of  views,  and  it  is 
necessary  to  caution  you  to  avoid  many  productions  in  them 
which  are  noxious,  nauseous,  and  even  fatal  in  their  nature 
and  tendency,  especially  to  the  ignorant  and  unwary. 
There  is  a  low,  small  plant,  which  may  be  seen  in  almost 
every  path,  called  indifference. — This,  though  not  per- 
ceived in  the  entrance,  you  will  always  know  where  it 
grows,  by  a  certain  coldness  in  the  air  which  surrounds  it. 
Contrary  to  the  nature  of  plants  in  general,  this  grows  by 
cold  and  dies  by  warmth  ;  whenever  you  perceive  this 
change  in  the  air,  avoid  the  place  as  soon  as  you  can.  In 
the  same  path  is  often  found  that  baneful  flower  called 
jealousy,  which  I  advise  you  never  to  look  at,  for  it  has  the 
strange  quality  of  smiting  the  eye  that  beholds  it  with  a 
pain  that  is  seldom  or  never  got  rid  of.  Jealousy  is  a 
deadly  flower  ;  it  is  the  aconite  of  the  garden,  and  has 
marred  the  happiness  of  thousands. 

As  you  proceed,  you  will  meet  with  many  little  crooked 
paths.  I  advise  you  as  a  friend,  never  to  go  into  them  ; 
for  although  at  the  entrance  of  each,  it  is  written  in  large 
letters,  i  am  right,  if  you  do  enter,  and  get  to  the  end  of 
them,  you  will  find  the  true  name  to  be  perverseness. 
These  crooked  paths  oocasion  endless  disputes,  and  as  it  is 
difficult  to  make  the  crooked  straight,  it  is  better  to  avoid 
them  altogether,  lest,  as  it  sometimes  happens,  a  total  sepa- 
ration be  the  consequence,  and  you  take  different  paths  the 
rest  of  your  lives.  Near  this  spot,  you  will  meet  with  a 
rough,  sturdy  plant,  called  obstinacy,  which  bears  a  hard 
knotty  fruit  that  never  digests,  and  of  course  must  injure 
the  constitution;  it  even  becomes  fatal,  when  taken  in  large 


144  THE  MATRIMONIAL  GARDEN. 

quantities.      Turn    from   hV  avoid   it    as   you   would    the 
cholera. 

Just  opposiie  to  this,  grows  that  lovely  and  lively  shrub, 
called  compliance,  which,  though  not  always  pleasant  to 
the  palate,  is  very  salutary,  and  leaves  a  sweetness  in  the 
mouth  ;  it  is  a  most  excellent  shrub,  and  produces  the 
most  delicious  fruit. — Never  be  without  a  very  large  sprig 
in  your  hand  ;  it  will  often  be  wanted  as  you  go  along,  for 
you  cannot  be  happy  without  it  in  any  part  of  the  garden. 

In  one  of  the  principal  compartments,  stands  a  very  im- 
portant plant,  called  economy;  it  is  of  a  thriving  quality; 
cultivate  this  fine  plant  with  all  your  care  ;  for  it  adorns 
and  enriches  at  the  same  time.  Many  overlook  it,  some 
despise  it,  and  others  think  that  they  will  never  want  it ; 
it  is  generally  overlooked  in  the  gaiety  and  levity  with  which 
people  enter  this  place,  but  the  want  of  it  is  generally 
deplored  with  bitter  repentance.  There  are  two  other 
plants  of  the  same  species,  which  are  very  closely  connected* 
called  industry  and  frugality,  and  I  must  take  leave  to 
tell  you,  that  unless  both  the  male  and  the  female  partake 
largely  of  their  branches,  very  little  success  can  be  expected  ; 
in  this  they  must  both  unite.  Take  care  that  you  provide 
yourself  and  partner  with  a  supply  of  each  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible after  you  enter  the  garden. 

There  are  two  or  three  paths  which  run  much  into  one 
another,  and  deserve  the  closest  attention  of  the  softer  sex ; 
I  mean  regularity,  exactness,  and  simplicity.*  Do  not 
think,  as  some  do,  that  when  you  have  once  got  into  the 
garden,  you  may  be  neglectful  of  these  paths.  Remember 
that  your  companion  will  see  your  neglect,  which  will  affect 
his  eye,  and  may  alienate  his  heart.  Enter  on  these  depart- 
ments, then,  as  soon  as  you  enter  the  garden,  and  when 
you  are  once  fairly  in,  you  are  in  for  life  ;  the  danger  is 
that  if  you  do  not  get  into  them  at  an  early  period,  you  will 

*  In  deportment  as  well  as  in  dress. 


THE  MATRIMONIAL  GARDEN.  145 

not  find  them  afterwards.     Near  these  walks  is  to  be  found 
that  modest  plant,  called  humility: 

It  is  the  Violet,  "  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air." 

It  appears  of  little  worth  in  itself,  but  when  joined  with 
other  virtues,  it  adds  a  charm  to  life,  and  spreads  a  fragrance 
around  its  wearer.  Cultivate,  then,  with  all  your  care,  this 
sweet  little  plant,  and  you  will  find  it  prevent  the  growth  of 
all  poisonous  and  noxious  weeds. 

Allow  me  also  to  drop  a  hint  on  the  subject  of  cultiva- 
tion, as  connected  with  propagation,  as  that  most  probably 
will  be  your  employment  in  this  garden,  sooner  or  later. 
Should  you  have  the  rearing  of  a  young  plant,  remember 
that  it  is  frail  in  its  nature,  and  liable  to  be  destroyed  by 
every  blast,  and  will  demand  all  your  care  and  attention. 
Should  you  witness  a  blast  on  its  dawning  beauties, 
Oh  !  how  your  fond  heart  will  bleed  with  tenderness,  affec- 
tion, and  sympathy  !  The  young  shoot  will  naturally  twine 
around  all  the  fibres  of  your  frame.  Should  it  live  and 
thrive,  spare  no  pains  to  "  train  it  up  in  the  way  it  should 
go."  Weed  it,  water  it,  prune  it ;  it  will  need  all  the  cul- 
tivator's skill.  Without  this,  many  weeds  and  baneful 
plants  will  grow  up  with  it,  and  blast  your  fondest  hopes. 
Be  ever  mindful  that  this  is  a  trust  for  which  both  parties 
are  accountable. 

Without  careful  cultivation,  what  can  you  expect  but  the 
most  luxuriant  growth  of  unruly  appetites,  which,  in  time, 
will  break  forth  in  all  manner  of  disgraceful  irregularities  1 
What,  but  that  anger,  like  a  prickly  thorn,  will  arm  the 
temper  with  an  untractable  moroseness  ?  That  peevish- 
ness, like  a  stinging  nettle,  will  render  the  conversation 
irksome  and  forbidding'?  That  avarice,  like  some  choking 
weed,  will  teach  the  fingers  to  gripe,  o:«d  the  hands  to  op- 
press? That  revenge,  like  some  poisonous  plant,  replete 
with  baneful  juices,  will  rankle  in  the  breast,  and  meditate 

13 


146  THE  MATRIMONIAL  GARDEN. 

mischief  to  its  neighbour.  While  unbridled  lusts,  like 
swarms  of  noisome  insects,  taint  each  rising  thought,  and 
render  "every  imagination  of  the  heart  only  evil  continu- 
ally'?" Such  are  the  usual  products  of  unrestrained  nature  ! 
Such  the  furniture  of  the  uncultivated  mind  ! 

By  all  means,  then,  pay  due  attention  to  culture.  By 
suitable  discipline,  clear  the  soil ;  by  careful  instruction, 
implant  the  seeds  of  virtue.  By  skill  and  vigilance,  prune 
the  unprofitable  and  over-luxuriant  branches  : — "  direct  the 
young  idea  how  to  shoot," — the  wayward  passions  how  to 
move.  The  mature  man  will  then  become  the  chief  orna- 
ment of  the  garden.  Around  him  charity  will  breathe  her 
sweets,  and  in  his  branches  hope  expand  her  blossoms. 
In  him  the  personal  virtues  will  display  their  graces,  and  the 
social  ones  their  fruit— the  sentiments  become  generous, 
the  carriage  endearing,  the  life  useful,  and  the  end  happy 
and  peaceful. 


THOUGHTS  ON  MARRIAGE. 

"Marriage  is  to  a  woman  at  once  the  happ  est  and  the  saddest  event  of  heF 
life  ;  it  is  the  promise  of  future  bliss  rai-ed  on  the  death  of  all  present  enjoy- 
ment. She  quits  her  home,  her  parents,  her  companions,  her  occupations, 
her  amusements,  every  thing  on  which  she  has  hitherto  depended  lor  com- 
fort, for  affection,  for  kindness,  for  pleasure.  The  parents  by  whose  advice 
she  has  been  guided,  the  sister  to  whom  she  has  dared  impart  every  embryo 
thought  and  feeling,  the  brother  who  has  played  with  her,  by  turns  the 
counsellor  and  the  counselled,  and  the  younger  children  to  whom  she  has 
hitherto  been  the  mother  and  the  playmate,  ail  are  to  be  forsaken  at  one  fell 
stroke  ;  every  former  tie  is  loosened,  the  spring  of  every  hope  and  action  is 
to  be  changed:  and  yet  she  flies  with  joy  into  the  untrodden  path  before 
her;  buoyed  uo  with  the  confidence  of  requited  love,  she  bids  a  fond  and 
crateful  adieu  to  the  life  that  is  past,  and  turns  with  excited  hopes  and  joy- 
ous anticipation  of  the  happiness  to  come.  Then  wo  to  him  who  can  blight 
such  fair  hopes— who  can  coward-like  break  the  illusions  that  have  won 
her  and  destroy  the  confidence  which  love  had  inspired.  Wo  to  him  who 
has' too  early  withdrawn  the  tender  plant  from  the  props  and  stays  of  mo- 
ral discipline  in  which  she  has  been  nurtured,  and  yet  make  no  effort  to 
supply  their  place  ;  for  on  him  be  the  responsibility  of  her  errors — on  him 
who  has  first  taught  her,  by  his  example,  to  grow  careless  of  her  duty,  and 
then  exposed  her  with  a  weakened  spirit  and  unsatisfied  heart,  to  the  wide 
storms  and  the  wily  temptations  of  a  vicious  world." 


I* 


The  following  invaluable  compendium  will,  it  is  presumed, 
prove  highly  interesting  to  the  reader,  as  it  embraces  the 
very  essence  of  Horticulture  and  Floriculture  ;  it  is,  there- 
fore, well  adapted  as  an  appendage  to  the  Florist's  Guide:— 

Mn  ©utifiu 


THE      FIRST      PRINCIPLES 


HOMEOTMUEJE. 


By  JOHN  LINDLEY,  F.  R.  S.  &c.  &c. 

V.O/ESSOR    OF    BOTANY    IN    THE    UNIVERSITY    CF    LONDON;    AND    ASSISTANT 
SECRETARY    OF    THE    HORTICULTURAL    SOC.ETY. 


I.    General  Nature  of  Plants. 

1.  Horticulture  is  the  application  of  the  arts  of  cul- 
tivation, multiplication,  and  domestication  to  the  vegetable 
kingdom.  Agriculture  and  Arboriculture  are  branches  of 
Horticulture. 

2.  The  vegetable  kingdom  is  composed  of  living  beings, 
destitute  of  sensation,  with  no  power  of  moving  spontaneously 
from  place  to  place,  and  called  plants. 

3.  Plants  are  organized  bodies,  consisting  of  masses  of 
tissue  that  is  permeable  by  fluids  or  gaseous  matter. 

4.  Vegetable  tissue  consists  either  of  minute  bladders,  or 
tubes  adhering  by  their  contiguous  surfaces,  and  leaving 
intermediate  passages  where  they  do  not  touch. 

5.  Tissue  is  called  Cellular  when  it  is  composed  of  minute 
bladders,  which  either  approach  the  figure  of  a  sphere,  or  are 
obviously  some  modification  ot  it,  supposed  to  be  caused  by 
extension  or  lateral  compression. 


148  GENERAL  NATURE  Or  PLANTS. 

6.  When  newly  formed  it  is  in  a  very  lax  state,  and  posses- 
ses great  powers  of  absorption  ;  probably  in  consequence  of 
the  excessive  permeability  of  its  membrane,  and  the  imperfect 
cohesion  of  its  cells, 

7.  Cellular  tissue,  otherwise  called  Parenchyma,  constitutes 
the  soft  and  brittle  parts  of  plants  ;  such  as  pith,  pulp,  the 
spaces  between  the  veins  of  leaves,  the  principal  part  of  the 
petals  ;  and  the  like. 

8.  Succulent  plants  are  such  as  have  an  excessive  develope- 
ment  of  cellular  tissue. 

9.  It  may  be  considered  the  most  essential  kind  of  tissue, 
because,  while  no  plants  exist  without  it,  many  are  composed 
of  nothing  else. 

10.  Tissue  is  called  Woody  Fibre  when  it  is  composed  of  slen- 
der tubes,  which  are  conical  and  closed  at  each  end,  and  placed 
side  by  side. 

11.  Woody  Fibre  is  what  causes  stiffness  and  tenacity  in 
certain  parts  of  plants  ;  hence  it  is  found  in  the  veins  of  lea  ves, 
and  in  bark,  and  it  constitutes  the  principal  part  of  the  wood. 

12.  Vascular  tissue  is  that  in  which  either  an  elastic  tough 
thread  is  generated  spirally  within  a  tube  that  is  closed  and 
conical  at  each  end;  or  rows  of  cylindrical  cellules,  placed 
end  to  end,  finally  become  continuous  tubes  by  the  loss  of 
their  ends. 

13.  The  most  remarkable  form  of  vascular  tissue  is  the 
Spiral  vessel,  which  has  the  power  of  unrolling  with  elasticity 
when  stretched. 

14.  Other  kinds  of  vascular  tissue  are  incapable  of  unrolling, 
but  break  when  stretched. 

15.  Spiral  vessels  are  not  found  in  the  wood  or  bark,  and 
rarely  in  the  roots  of  plants. 

16."  Vascular  tissue  of  other  kinds  is  confined  to  the  root, 
stem,  veins  of  leaves,  petals,  and  other  parts  composed  of 
leaves.     It  is  not  found  in  bark. 

17.  The  common  office  of  the  tissue  is  to  convey  fluid  or 
air,  and  to  act  as  the  receptacle  of  secretions. 

18.  Cellular  tissue  conveys  fluids  in  all  directions,  absorbs 
with  great  rapidity,  is  the  first  cause  of  the  adhesions  that 
take  place  between  contiguous  parts,  and  is  the  principal 
receptacle  of  secreted  matter. 

19.  Adhesion  will  take  place  at  all  times  during  the  growing- 
season,  when  the  cellular  tissue  of  two  different  parts,  or  of 
two  different  plants,  is  kept  for  some  time  in  contact ;  but  as 
none  but  tissues  of  nearly  the  same  nature  will  adhere,  graft- 
ing and  budding,  which  are  caused  by  the  adhesion  of  conti- 
guous parts,  can  only  take  place  either  between  different 
varieties  of  the  same  species,  or  between  nearly  related 
species  ;  and  even  then  only  when  the  corresponding  parts  of 
the  scion  or  bud,  and  the  stock,  are  placed  in  contact. 

210.  Woody  fibre  conveys  fluid  in  the  direction  of  its  length* 


TtGOT. 


149 


gives  stiffness  and  flexibility  to  the  general  system,  and  acts 
as  a  protection  to  spiral  and  other  delicate  vessels. 

21.  Spiral  vessels  convey  oxygenated  air. 

22.  Other  vessels  probably  conduct  fluid  when  young,  and 
air  when  old. 

23.  As  the  bodies  of  which  all  Tissue  is  composed  are  perfect- 
ly simple,  unbranched,  and  regular  in  figure,  having,  when 
elongated,  their  two  extremities  exactly  alike,  they  are  more 
or  less  capable  of  conveying  gaseous  matter  or  fluids  in  any 
direction;  and,  consequently,- a  current  may  be  reversed  in 
them  without  inconvenience:  hence,  inverted  cuttings  or 
stems  will  grow. 

24.  All  parts  of  plants  are  composed  of  tissue,  whether  they 
be  soft,  as  pulp  ;  or  hard,    as  the  bony  lining  of  a  Peach. 

25  With  regard  to  Horticultural  operations,  the  parfs  of 
plants  should  be  considered  under  the  heads  of  Root  (II.)  ; 
Sfem  (lllj  i  Leaf  buds  (I  V.)  ;  Leaves  (V.)  ;  Flowers  (VI.) ;  Sexes 
(VII.;  Fruit  (VIII.);  and  £e:d  (IX). 

II.     Root. 

26.  The  Root  is  the  part  that  strikes  into  the  earth  when  a 
seed  begins  to  germinate,  and  which  afterwards  continues  to 
lengthen  beneath  the  soil. 

27-  It  is  also  the  part  which  is  sometimes  emitted  by  the 
stem,  for  the  purpose  of  absorbing  nutriment  from  the  atmos- 
phere ;  as  in  Ivy,  Air-Plants,  Vines,  &c. 

28.  It  is  distinguished  from  the  stem  by  the  absence  of  leaves 
in  any  state,  of  regular  leaf-buds  ( IV.)  ;  of  evaporating  pores 
(or  stomata  (131.)  and  of  pith  in  Exogenous  plants. 

29.  Therefore,  such  underground  bodies  as  those  called 
Tuber  (61.)  in  the  Potato  ;  Bulb  (96.)  in  the  Onion;  and  solid 
Bulb  or  Cormus  (61.)  in  the  Crocus,  are  not  roots. 

30.  The  ottice  of  the  root  is  to  absorb  food  in  a  fluid  or 
gaseous  state  ;  and  also  to  fix  the  plant  in  the  soil,  or  to  some 
firm  support. 

31.  The  latter  office  is  essential  to  the  certain  and  regular 
performance  of  the  former. 

32.  It  is  mt  by  the  whole  of  their  surface  that  roots  absorb 
food;  but  only  by  their  young  and  newly  formed  extremities, 
called  Spoagio/ts. 

33.  Hence  the  preservation  of  the  spongioles  in  an  uninjured 
state  is  essential  to  the  removal  of  a  plant  from  one  place  to 
another. 

34.  A  Spongiole  consists  of  very  young  vascular  tissue  (12-) 
surrounded  by  very  young  cellular  substance.  (5.) 

35.  It  is  therefore  one  of  the  most  delicate  parts  of  plants, 
and  the  most  easily  injured. 

36.  Hence  whatever  is  known  to  produce  any  specific  dele- 
terious action  upon  leaves  or  stems,  such  as  certain  gases  (298.) 

13* 


150 


ROOT. 


and  mineral  or  vegetable  poisons,  will  produce  a  much  more 
fatal  effect  upon  the  spongioles. 

37.  These  organs  have'no  power  of  selecting  their  food,  but 
will  absorb  wiiatever  the  earth  or  air  may  contain,  which  is 
sufficiently  fluid  to  pass  through  the  sides  of  their  tissue. 

38-  So  that  if  the  spongioles  are  developed  in  a  medium 
which  is  of  an  unsuitable  nature  as  they  will  still  continue  to 
absorb,  they  cannot  fail  to  introduce  matter  which  will  prove 
either  injurious  or  fatal  to  life,  according  to  its  intensity. 

39.  This  may  often  explain  why  trees  suddenly  become 
unhealthy,  without  any  external  apparent  cause. 

40.  Plants  have  the  power  of  replacing  spongioles  by  the 
formation  of  new  ones  ;  so  that  an  individual  is  not  destroyed 
by  their  loss. 

41.  But  this  power  depends  upon  the  co-operation  of  the 
atmosphere,  and  upon  the  special  vital  powers  of  the  species. 

42  If  the  atmosphere  is  so  humid  as  to  hinder  evaporation, 
spongioles  will  have  time  to  form  anew  ;  but  if  the  atmosphere 
is  dry,  the  loss  by  evaporation  will  be  so  much  greater  than 
can  he  supplied  by  the  injured  roots,  that  the  whole  system 
will  be  emptied  of  fluid  before  the  new  spongioles  can  form. 

43.  This  is  the  key  to  Transplantation.  (XV.) 

44.  As  roots  are  destitute  of  leaf-buds  (IV.),  and  as  leaf- 
buds  are  essential  to  the  multiplication  of  an  individual  (108) 
it  should  follow  that  roots  can  never  be  employed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  multiplication. 

45.  Nevertheless,  roots  when  woody  have,  occasionally,  the 
power  of  generating  adventitious  leaY-buds  (IV.)  ;  and  when 
this  is  the  case,  they  may  be  employed  for  the  purpose  of 
multiplication;  as  those  of  Cydonia  Japonica,  &c. 

46.  The  cause  of  this  power  existing  in  some  species,  and 
not  in  others,  is  unknown. 

47.  It  is  therefore  a  power  that  can  never  be  calculated 
upon  ;  and  whose  existence  is  only  to  be  discovered  by 
accident. 

4b.  Although  roots  are  generated  under-ground,  and  some- 
times at  considerable  depths,  yet  access  to  a  certain  quantity 
of  atmospheric  air  appears  indispensable  to  the  healthy  execu- 
tion of  their  functions.  This  is  constantly  exemplified  in 
plants  growing  in  the  earth  at  the  back  of  an  ill-ventilated 
forcing  house,  where  the  roots  have  no  means  of  finding  their 
way  into  the  earth  on  the  outside  of  the  house. 

49.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  the  introduction  of  oxygen 
into  their  system  is  as  indispensable  to  them  as  to  animals. 

50.  It  seems  more  probable  that  the  oxygen  of  the  atmos- 
phere, seizing  upon  a  certain  quantity  of  carbon,  forms  carbonic 
acid,  which  they  absorb,  and  teed  upon. 

51.  It  is  at  least  certain  that  the  exclusion  of  air  from  the 
roots  will  always  induce  an  unhealthy  condition,  or  even 
death  itself.     This  may  be  one  of  the  reasons  why  stiff  tena- 


STEM.  151 

clous  soils  arc-  so  seldom  suited  to  the  purposes  of  the  cultiva- 
tor, until  their  adhesiveness  has  heen  destroyed  by  the  addition 
of  other  matter. 

52.  Spongioles  secrete  excrementitious  matter,  which  is 
unsuitable  to  the  same  species  afterwards  as  food  ;  for  poison- 
ous substances  are  as  fatal  to  the  species  that  secrete  them  as 
to  anv  other  species. 

53."  But  to  other  species  the  excrementitious  matter  is  cither 
not  unsuitable,  or  not  deleterious. 

64.  II*  nee,  soil  may  be  rendered  impure  (or,  as  we  inaccu- 
rately say,  worn  out)  fo*  one  species,  which  will  not  be  impure 
for  others. 

55.  This  is  the  true  key  of  the  theory  of  rotation  of  crops. 

56.  This  also  may  serve  to  explain  in  part  why  light  soil 
is  indispensable  to  so  many  plants,  and  heavy  or  tenacious 
soil  suitable  to  so  few  :  for  in  the  former  case  the  spongioses 
will  meet  with  little  resistance  to  their  elongation,  and  will 
consequently  be  continually  quitting  the  place  where  their 
excrementitious  matter  is  deposited  ;  while  in  the  latter  case, 
the  reverse  will  occur. 

111.     Stem. 

97.  The  stem  is  that  part  of  a  plant  which  is  developed 
above  ground,  and  which  took  an  upward  direction  at  the 
period  of  germination- 

53  It  consists  of  a  woody  axis,  covered  by  bark  having 
stomata  (131. )on  its  surface,  bearing  leaves  with  leaf-buds,  in 
their  axilla,  and  producing  flowers  and  fruit, 

59  The  points  where  leaves  are  borne  are  called  Nodi;  the 
spaces  between  the  leaves  are  lutanodia. 

60.  The  more  erect  a  stem  grows,  the  more  vigorous  it  is; 
and  the  more  it  deviates  from  this  direction  to  a  horizontal  or 
pendulous  position,  the  less  is  it  vigorous. 

61.  Some  stems  are  developed  underground,  such  as  the 
Tubers  of  the  Potato  and  the  Cormus  of  the  Crocus  \  but  they 
are  known  from  roots  by  the  presence  of  leaves,  and  regular 
leaf  buds  upon  their  surface. 

G2.   Stems  increase  in  diameter  in  two  ways. 

63.  Either  by  the  addition  of  new  matter  to  the  outside  of 
the  wood  and  the  inside  of  the  bark  ;  when  they  are  Exogenous  ; 
ex.  Oak".  .    .     . 

64.  Or  by  the  addition  of  new  matter  to  their  inside  j  when 
they  are  Endogenous ;  ex.  Cane. 

65.  In  Exogenous  stems,  the  central  portion,  which  is 
harder  and  darker  than  tnat  at  the  circumference,  is  called 
Heart-wood;  while  the  exterior,  which  is  softer  and  lighter,  is 
called  Alburnum  or  Sap-uood. 

66.  The  inside  of  the  bark  of  such  stems  has  also  the 
technical  name  of  Liber. 


15*2  STEM. 

67.  The  Heart- wood  was,  when  young  Alburnum,  and 
afterwards  changed  its  nature  by  becoming  the  receptacle  of 
certain  secretions  peculiar  to  the  species- 

68.  Hence  the  greater  durability  of  Heart  wood  than  of 
Sap-wood.  While  the  latter  is  newly  formed  empty  tissue, 
almost  as  perishable  as  bark  itself,  the  former  is  protected 
against  destruction  by  the  introduction  of  secretions  that 
become  solid  matter,  which  is  often  insoluble  in  water,  and 
never  permeable  to  air. 

69.  The  secretions  by  which  Heart- wood  is  solidified  are 
prepared  in  the  leave's,  whence  they  are  sent  downwards 
through  the  bark,  and  from  the  bark  communicated  to  the 
central  part  of  the  stem. 

70.  The  channels  through  which  this  communication  takes 
place  are  called  Med ullary  Rai,s}  or  Stiver  Grain. 

71.  Medullary  rays  are  plates  of  cellular  tissue,  in  a  very 
compressed  state,  passing  from  the  pith  into  the  bark. 

72.  The  wood  itself  is  composed  of  tubes  consisting  of  woody 
fibre  and  vascular  tissue,  imbedded  longitudinally  in  cellular 
substance. 

73.  This  cellular  substance  only  developes  horizontally  ;  and 
it  is  to  it  that  the  peculiar  character  of  different  kinds  of  wood 
is  chiefly  due. 

74.  For  this  reason  the  wrood  of  the  stock  of  a  grafted  plant 
will  never  become  like  that  of  its  scion,  although  as  will  be 
hereafter  seen  (IV.),  the  woody  matter  of  the  stock  must  all 
originate. in  the  scion. 

75.  The  stem  of  an  exogenous  plant  may  therefore  be  com- 
pared to  a  piece  of  linen,  of  which  the  weft  is  composed  of 
cellular  tissue,  and  the  warp  of  fibrous  and  vascular  tissue. 

76.  In  the  Spring  and  Autumn  a  viscid  substance  is  secreted 
between  the  wood  and  the  liber,  called  the  Cambium. 

77-  This  Cambium  appears  to  be  the  matter  out  of  which 
the  cellular  horizontal  substance  of  the  stem  is  organised. 

78.  In  Endogenous  stems  the  portion  at  the  circumference 
is  harder  than  that  in  the  centre;  and  there  is  no  separable 
bark. 

79.  Their  stems  consist  of  bundles  of  woody  matter,  imbed- 
ded in  cellular  tissue,  and  composed  of  vascular  tissue  surroun- 
ded by  woody  fibre. 

80.  The  stem  is  not  only  the  depository  of  the  peculiar 
secretions  of  species  (67.),  but  is  also  the  medium  through 
which  the  sap  flows  in  its  passage  from  the  roots  into  the 
leaves. 

81.  In  Exogenous  stems  (63.)  it  certainly  rises  through  the 
alburnum,  and  descends  through  the  bark. 

82.  In  Endogenous  stems  (64)  it  probably  rises  through  the 
bundles  of  wood,  and  descends  through  the  cellular  substance  ; 
but  this  is  uncertain. 

83.  Steins  have  the  power  of  propagating  an  individual  only 


LEAF-B'  DS. 


153 


by  the  means  of  their  Leaf  -buds.     If  destitute  of  Leaf-buds, 
they  have  no  power  of  multiplication,  except  fortuitously. 

IV .     Leaf- Buns. 

84.  Leaf-buds  are  rudiments  of  brandies,  enclosed  within 
scales,  which  are  imperfectly  formed  leaves. 

85.  Al!  the  leaf-buds  upon  the  same  branch  ere  constitu- 
tionally and  anatomical!)  the  same- 

86.  They  are  of  two  kinds;  viz,  regular  or  normal,  and  adven- 
titious or  latent.   (119) 

87.  Regular  leaf-buds  are  formed  at  the  axilla?  of  Leaves. 
88-  They  are  organs  capable  of  propagating  the  individual 

from  which  they  originate. 

89.  They  are  at  first  nourished  by  the  fluid  lying  in  the 
pith,  but  finally  establish  for  themselves  a  communication 
with  the  soil  bv  the  woodv  matter  which  they  send  downwards. 

90.  Their  force  of  developement  will  be  in  proportion  to 
their  nourishment ;  and,  consequently,  when  i\  is  v\i-hcdto 
procure  a  young  shoot  of  unusual  vigour,  all  other  shoots  in 
the  vi,i  iffy  are,  prevented  growing,  so  as  to  accumulate  for 
one  shoot  only  all  the  food  that  would  otherwise  have  been 
Consumed  by  sever., I. 

91.  Cutting  back  to  a  few  eyes  is  an  operation  in  pruning 
to  produce  the  same  effect,  by  "directing  the  sap,  as  it  ascends, 
into  two  or  three  buds  only/instead  of  allowing  it  to  expend 
itself  upon  all  the  others  which  are  cut  away. 

92.  When  leaf-buds  grow,  they  develope  in  three  directions  ; 
the  one  horizontal,  the  other  upw  aid,  and  the  third  downward. 

93.  The  horizontal  developement  is  confined  to  the  cellular 
system  of  the  bark,  pith,  and  medullary  rays. 

94.  The  upward  and  downward  developements  are  confined 
to  the  woody  fibre  and  vascular  tissue. 

9o.  In  this  respect  they  resemble  seeds;  from  which  they 
differ  physiologically  in  propagating  the  individual,  while 
seeds  can  only  propagate  the  species. 

96.  When  they  disarticulate  from  the  stem  that  bears  them, 
they  are  called  bulbs. 

97.  In  some  plants,  a  bud,  when  separated  from  its  stem, 
will  grow  and  form  a  new  plant  if  placed  in  circumstances 
favourable  to  the  preservation  of  its  vital  powers. 

98.  But  this  property  seems  confined  to  plants  having  a 
firm,  woody,  perennial  stem. 

99.  Such  buds,  when  detached  from  their  parent  stem,  send 
roots  downwards  and  a  stem  upwards- 

100.  But  if  the  buds  are  not  separated  from  the  plant  to 
which  they  belong,  the  matter  they  send  downwards  becomes 
wood  and  liber,  (66J  and  the  stems  they  send  upwards  be- 
come branches.  Hence  it  is  said  that  wood  and  liber  are 
formed  by  the  roots  of  leaf-buds, 


154  LEAF-BUDS. 

101.  If  no  leaf-buds  are  called  into  action,  there  will  be  no 
addition  of  wood  :  and  consequently,  the  destruction  or  ab- 
sence of  leaf-buds  is  accompanied  by  the  absence  of  wood  :  as 
is  proved  by  a  shoot,  the  upper  buds  of  which  are  destroyed 
and  the  lower  allowed  to  develope.  The  lower  part  of  the 
shoot  will  increase  in  diameter  :  the  upper  will  remain  of  its 
original  dimensions. 

102.  The  quantity  of  wood,  therefore,  depends  upon  the 
quantity  of  leaf- buds  that  develope. 

103.  It  is  of  the  great  st  importance  to  bear  this  in  mind  in 
pruning  timber  trees  :  for  excessive  pruning  must  necessarily 
be  injurious  to  the  quantity  of  produce. 

104.  If  a  cutting  with  a  leaf-bud  on  it  be  placed  in  circum- 
stances fitted  to  the  developement  of  the  latter,  it  will  grow 
and  become  a  nev*  plant. 

105.  If  this  happens  when  the  cutting  is  inserted  in  the 
earth,  the  new  plant  is  said  by  gardeners,  to  be  upon  its  own 
bottom. 

106.  But  if  it  happens  when  the  cutting  is  applied  to  the 
dissevered  end  of  another  individual,  called  a  stock,  the  roots 
are  insinuated  into  the  tissue  of  the  stock,  and  a  plant  is  said 
to  be  grafted;  the  cutting-  being  called  a  scion. 

107.  There  is,  therefore,  little  difference  between  cuttings 
and  scions,  except  that  the  former  root  into  the  earth,  the 
latter  into  another  plant. 

108  But  if  a  cutting  of  the  same  plant  without  a  leaf-bud 
upon  it  be  placed  in  the  same  circumstances,  it  will  not  grow 
but  will  die. 

109.  Unless  its  vital  powers  are  sufficient  to  enable  it  to 
develope  an  adventitious  leaf-bud.  (119.) 

110.  A  leaf-bud  separated  from  the  stem  will  also  become  a 
new  individual,  if  its  vital  energy  is  sufficiently  powerful. 

111.  And  this,  whether  it  is  planted  in  earth,  into  which  it 
roots,  like  a  cutting,  or  in  a  new  individual  to  which  it  ad- 
heres and  grows  like  a  scion.  In  the  former  case  it  is  called 
an  eye,  in  the  latter  a  bad. 

112.  Every  leaf-bud  has,  therefore,  its  own  distinct  system 
of  life,  and  of  growth. 

113.  And  as  all  the  leaf-buds  of  an  individual  are  exactly 
alike,  it  follows  that  a  plant  is  a  collection  of  a  great  number 
of  distinct  identical  systems  of  life,  and  consequently  a  com- 
pound individual. 

114.  Regular  leaf-buds  being  generated  in  the  axillae  of  the 
leaves,  it  is  there  that  they  are  always  to  be  sought 

115.  And  if  they  cannot  be  discovered  by  ocular  inspection, 
it  may  nevertheless  be  always  inferred  with  confidence  that 
they  exist  in  such  situations,  and  may  possibly  be  called  from 
their  dormant  state  into  life. 

116.  Hence,  wrherever  the  scar  of  a  leaf  or  the  remains  of  a 
leaf,  can  be  discovered,  there  it  is  to  be   understood  that  the 


LEAVES.  J  O.J 

rudiments  exist  of  a  system  of  life  which  may  be,  by  favoura- 
ble circumstances,  called  into  action. 

117.  Hence,  all  parts  upon  which  leaves  have  ever  grown 
may  be  made  use  of  for  purposes  of  propagation. 

118.  From  these  considerations  it  appears  that  the  most 
direct  analogy  between  the  Animal  and  Vegetable  Kingdoms 
is  with  the  Polypes  of  the  former. 

119.  Adventitious  leaf-buds  are  in  all  respects  like  Regular 
leaf-buds,  except  that  they  are  not  formed  at  the  axillae  of 
leaves,  but  develope  occasionally  from  all  and  any  parts  of  a 
plant. 

120.  They  are  occasionally  produced  by  roots,  by  solid 
wood,  or  even  by  leaves  and  flowers. 

121.  Hence  roots,  solid  wood,  or  even  leaves  and  flowers 
may  be  used  as  means  of  propagation. 

122.  But  as  the  developement  of  adventitious  buds  is  ex- 
tremely uncertain,  such  means  of  propagation  can  never  be 
calculated  on  ;  and  form  no  part  of  the  science  of  cultivation. 

123.  The  cause  of  the  formation  of  adventitious  leaf-buds 
is  unknown. 

124.  From  certain  experiments  it  appears  that  they  may  be 
generated  by  sap  in  a  state  of  great  accumulation  and  activity. 

125.  Consequently,  whatever  tends  to  the  accumulation  of 
sap  in  an  active  state  may  be  expected  to  be  conducive  to  the 
formation  of  adventitious  leaf-buds. 

V.     Leaves. 

126.  Leaves  are  expansions  of  bark,  traversed  by  veins. 
127-  The  veins  consist  of  spiral  vessels  mclosed  in  woody 

fibre  ;  they  originate  in  the  medullary  sheath  and  liber;  and 
they  are  connected  by  loose  Parenchyma  (7  J  which  is  full  of 
cavities  containing  air. 

128  This  parenchyma  consists  of  two  layers,  of  which  the 
upper  is  composed  of  cellules  perpendicular  to  the  cuticle,  and 
the  lower  of  cellules  parallel  with  the  cuticle. 

129.  These  cellules  are  arranged  so  as  to  leave  numerous 
open  passages  among  them  for  the  circulation  of  air  in  the 
inside  of  a  leaf.     Parenchyma  of  this  nature  is  called  cavernous. 

130  Cuticle  is  formed  of  one  or  more  layers  of  depressed 
cellular  tissue,  which  is  generally  hardened,  and  always  dry 
and  filled  with  air. 

131.  Between  many  of  the  cells  of  the  cuticle  are  placed 
apertures  called  s/omuia,  which  have  the  power  of  opening 
and  closing  as  circumstances  may  require. 

132.  It  is  by  means  of  this  apparatus  that  leaves  elaborate 
the  sap  which  they  absorb  from  the  alburnum,  converting  it 
into  the  secretions  peculiar  to  the  species. 

133.  Their  cavernous  structure  (129)  enables  them  to  ex- 


156  FLOWERS. 

pose  the  greatest  possible  surface  of  their  parenchyma  to  the 
action  of  the  atmosphere. 

134.  Their  cuticle  is  a  non-conducting  skin,  which  protects 
them  from  great  variations  in  temperature,  and  through 
which  gaseous  matter  will  pass  readily. 

135.  Their  stomata  are  pores  that  are  chiefly  intended  to 
facilitate  evaporation;  for  which  they  are  well  adapted  by  a 
power  they  possess  of  opening  or  closing  as  circumstances 
may  require. 

136.  They  are  also  intended  for  facilitating  the  rapid  emis- 
sion of  air,  when  it  is  necessary  that  such  a  function  should 
be  performed, 

137  The  functions  of  stomata  being  of  such  vital  impor- 
tance, it  is  always  advisable  to  examine  them  microsco- 
pically in  cases  where  doubts  are  entertained  of  the  state  of 
the  atmosphere  which  a  particular  species  may  require. 

13S.  Leaves  growing  in  air  are  covered  with  a  cuticle. 

139.  Leaves  growing  under  water  have  no  cuticle. 

140.  All  the  secretions  of  plants  being  formed  in  the  leaves, 
or  at  least  the  greater  part,  it  follows  that  secretions  cannot 
take  place  if  leaves  are  destroyed. 

141.  And  as  this  secreting  property  depends  upon  specific 
vital  powers  connected  with  the  decomposition  of  carbonic 
acid,  and  called  into  action  only  when  the  leaves  are  freely 
exposed  to  light  and  air  (279.),  it  also  follows  that  the  quan- 
tity of  secretion  will  bain  direct  proportion  to  the  quantity 
of  leaves,  and  to  their  free  exposure  to  light  and  air. 

142.  The  usual  position  of  leaves  is  spiral,  at  regularly  in 
creasing  or  diminishing  distances;  they  are  then  said  to  be 
alternate. 

143.  But  if  the  space,  or  the  axis,  that  separates  two  leaves, 
is  reduced  to  nothing  at  alternate  intervals,  they  become  op- 
posite. 

144.  And  if  the  spaces  that  separate  several  leaves  be  re- 
duced to  nothing,  they  become  verticillate. 

145.  Opposite  and  verticillate  leaves,  therefore  differ  from 
alternate  leaves  only  in  the  spaces  that  separate  them  being 
reduced  to  nothing. 

VI.     Flowers. 

146-  Flowers  consist  of  two  principal  parts,  viz.  Floral 
Envelopes  (149.)  and  Sexes  (VII.) 

147.  Of  these,  the  former  constitute  what  is  popularly  con- 
sidered the  flower  ;  although  the  latter  are  the  only  parts  that 
are  absolutely  essential  to  it. 

148.  However  different  they  may  be  in  appearance  from 
leaves,  they  are  all  formed  of  those  organs  in  a  more  or  less 
modified  state,  and  altered  in  a  greater  or  less  degree  by 
mutual  adhesion. 


FLOWERS. 


157 


149.  The  Floral  Envelopes  consist  of  two  or  more  whorls  of 
transformed  leaves;  of  which  part  is  calyx,  its  leaves  being 
called  sepals,  and  part  corolla,  its  'eaves  being  called  petals. 

150.  The  sexes  are  also  transformed  leaves.  (187.) 

151.  The  calyx  is  always  the  outermost,  the  corolla  is  al- 
ways the  innermost  whorls;  and  if  there  is  but  one  floral 
envelope,  that  one  is  calyx. 

152.  Usually  the  calyx  is  green,  and  the  corolla  coloured 
and  more  highly  developed;  but  the  reverse  is  frequently  the 
case,  as  in  Fuchsia,  Ribes  sanguineum,  &e. 

153.  A  Flower  being,  then,  an  axis  surrounded  by  leaves, 
it  is  in  reality  a  stunted  branch  ;  that  is,  one  the  growth  of 
which  is  checked  and  its  power  of  elongation  destroyed. 

154.  That  Flowers  are  stunted  branches  is  proved,  firstly, 
by  all  their  parts,  especially  the  most  external,  occasionally 
reverting  to  the  state  of  ordinary  leaves  ;  secondly,  by  their 
parts  being  often  transformed  into  each  other;  and,  thirdly, 
by  the  whorls  of  flower-buds  being  dislocated  and  actually 
converted  into  branches  whenever  any  thing  occurs  to  stimu- 
late them  excessively. 

155.  Their  most  essential  distinctive  character  consists  in 
the  buds  at  the  axilla*  of  their  leaves  being  usually  dormant, 
while  those  in  the  axilla  pf  ordinary  leaves  are  usually  active. 

156.  For  this  reason  while  Leaf-buds  can  be  used  for  the 
purpose  of  propagation,  flower-buds  cannot  usually  be  so 
employed. 

157.  Being  stunted  branches,  their  position  on  the  stem  is 
the  same  as  that  of  developed  branches 

158.  And  as  there  is  in  all  plants  a  very  great  difference  in 
the  developement  of  leaf-buds,  some  growing  readily  Into 
branches,  others  only  unfolding  their  leaves  without  elonga- 
ting, and  many  remaining  altogether  dormant,  it  follows  that 
flower  buds  may  form  upon  plants  of  whatever  age  and  in 
whatever  state 

159.  But  to  produce  a  general  formation  of  flower-buds  it  is 
necessary  that  there  should  be  some  general  predisposing 
constitutional  cause,  independent  of  accidental  circumstances. 

160.  This  predisposing  cause  is  the  accumulation  of  sap  and 
of  secreted  matter. 

161.  Therefore  whatever  tends  to  retard  the  free  flow  of 
sap,  and  causes  it  to  accumulate,  will  cause  the  production  of 
flower-buds  or  fertility. 

162.  And  on  the  other  hand,  whatever  tends  to  produce 
excessive  vigour  causes  the  dispersion  of  sap,  or  prevents  its 
elaboration  and  causes  sterility. 

163.  Transplantation  with  a  partial  destruction  of  roots, 
age,  or  high  temperature  accompanied  by  a  dry  atmosphere, 
training  obliquely  or  in  an  inverted  direction,  a  constant 
destruction  of  the  extremities  of  young  growing  branches, 
will  all  cause  an  accumulation  of  sap,  and  secretions ;  and 

14 


158  FLOWEBS, 

consequently  all  such  circumstances  are  favourable  to  the 
production  of  flower  buds. 

164.  But  a  richly  manured  soil;  high  temperature,  with 
great  atmospheric  humidity,  or  an  uninterrupted  flow  of  sap, 
are  all  causes  of  excessive  vigour,  and  are  consequently  un- 
favourable to  the  production  of  flower-buds. 

165.  There  is  a  tendency  In  many  flowers  to  enlarge,  to 
alter  their  colours,  or  to  change  their  appearance  by  a  trans- 
formation and  multiplication  of  their  parts,  whenever  they 
have  been  raised  from  seeds  for  several  generatisns,  or  domes  • 
ticated. 

166.  The  causes  of  this  tendency  are  probably  various,  but 
being  entirely  unknown,  no  certain  rules  for  the  production 
of  varieties  in  flowers  can  be  laid  down,  except  by  the  aid  of 
hybridising  (210.) 

167.  It  often  happens  that  a  single  branch  produces  flowers 
different  from  those  produced  on  other  branches  This  is 
technically  called  a  sport. 

168.  As  every  bud  on  that  branch  has  the  same  specific 
vital  principle  (113.),  a  bud  taken  from  such  a  branch  will 
produce  an  individual,  the  whole  of  whose  branches  will  retain 
the  character  of  the  sport. 

169.  Consequently,  by  buds  an  accidental  variety  may  be 
made  permanent,  if  the  plant  that  sports  be  of  a  firm  woody 
nature.  (98.) 

170-  As  flowers  feed  upon  the  prepared  sap  in  their  vicinity, 
the  greater  the  abundance  of  this  prepared  food,  the  more 
perfect  will  be  their  developement. 

171.  Or  the  fewer  the  flowers  on  a  given  branch  the  more 
food  they  will  severally  have  to  nourish  them,  and  the  more 
perfect  will  they  be. 

172.  The  beauty  of  flowers  will  therefore  be  increased  either 
by  an  abundant  supply  of  food,  or  by  a  diminution  of  their 
numbers  (thinning),  or  by  both.  The  business  of  the  pruner 
is  to  cause  these  by  his  operation. 

173.  The  beauty  of  flowers  depends  upon  their  free  exposure 
to  light  and  air,  because  it  consists  in  the  richness  of  their 
colours,  and  their  colours  are  only  formed  by  the  action  of 
those  two  agents.  (281.) 

174.  Hence  Flowers  produced  in  dark  or  shady  confined 
situations  are  either  imperfect,  or  destitute  of  their  habitual 
size  and  beauty.  \ 

175-  Double  Flowers  are  those  in  which  the  stamens  are 
transformed  into  petals  ;  or  in  which  the  latter,  or  the  sepals, 
are  multiplied.  They  should  not  be  confounded  with  Proli- 
ferous (183  ),  and  Discoid  Compound  Flowers.  (184-) 

176.  Although  no  certain  rules  for  the  production  of  double 
Flowers  can  be  laid  down,  yet  it  is  probable  that  those  Flow- 
ers have  the  greatest  tendency  to  become  double,  in  which 
the  sexes  are  habitually  multiplied. 


FLOWERS.  159 

177.  In  Icosandrous  and  Polyandrous  plants  either  the 
stamens  or  the  pistilla  are  always  very  numerous  when  the 
Flowers  are  in  a  natural  state  ;  and  it  is  chiefly  in  such  plants, 
that  double  Flowers  occur,  when  they  become  transformed. 

178.  It  is  therefore  in  such  plants  that  double  Flowers  are 
to  be  principally  expected. 

179.  In  proportion  as  the  sexes  of  Flowers  habitually  become 
few  in  number,  do  the  instances  of  double  Flowers  become  rare. 

180.  Double  Flowers  are  therefore  least  to  be  expected  in 
Plants  with  fewest  stamens. 

181.  Whenever  the  component  parts  of  a  Flower  adhere 
by  their  edges,  as  in  monophyllous  calyxes,  monopetalous 
corollas,  and  monadelphous,  or  di— ,  or  poly-adelphous  stamens, 
the  tendency  to  an  unnatural  multiplication  of  parts  seems 
checked. 

182.  Therefore  in  such  cases  double  Flowers  are  little  to  be 
expected  ;  they  are  in  fact,  very  rare. 

183.  Proliferous  Flowers  are  those  in  which  parts  that 
usually  have  all  their  axillary  buds  dormant,  accidently  deye- 
lope  such  buds  ;  as  in  the  Hen  and  Chickens  Daisy,  in  which 
the  bracteae  of  the  invoiucrum  form  other  Daisy -heads  in  their 
axilla?;  or,  as  in  certain  Roses,  in  which  the  carpellary 
leaves  develope  leaf-buds  in  their  axillae,  so  that  the  flower 
becomes  a  branch,  the  lower  leaves  of  which  are  coloured  and 
transformed,  and  the  upper  green,  and  in  their  ordinary  state. 

184.  Discoid  compound  Flowers  are  those  in  which  the 
central  florets  of  a  flower-head  accmire  corollas,  like  those  of 
the  circumference,  as  in  the  Dahlia  ;  the  cultivated  variety  of 
which  should  be  called  discoid,  and  not  double. 

185.  These  two  last  are  so  essentially  different  from  double 
flowers,  that  whatever  laws  may  be  supposed  to  govern  the 
production  or  amelioration  of  double  Flowers,  can  have  no 
relation  to  proliferous  or  discoid  compound  Flowers. 

VII.     Sexes 

186.  The  sexes  consist  of  two  or  more  whorls  of  transformed 
leaves,  of  which  the  outer  are  called  Stamens  (188),  and  the 
inner  Pistillwn.  (191.) 

187.  They  are  known  to  be  modifications  of  leaves,  because 
they  very  frequently  are  transformed  into  petals  which  are 
demonstrably  such  (149 ) ;  and  because  they  occasionally 
revert  to  the  state  of  leaves- 

188-  The  stamens  bear  at  their  apex  an  organ,  called  the 
anther,  which  contains  a  powder  called  pollen. 

189.  When  the  anther  is  full  grown  it  opens  and  emits  the 
pollen,  either  dispersing  it  in  the  air  in  consequence  of  the 
elasticity  with  which  it  opens;  or  depositing  it  upon  the 
stigma  (191.) ;  or  exposing  it  to  the  the  action  of  wind,  or  such 
other  disturbing  oauses  as  may  liberate  it  from  its  case. 


160  SEXES. 

190.  The  pollen  consists  of  exceedingly  minute  hollow 
balls,  or  cases,  containing  myriads  of  moving  particles,  which 
are  the  fertilising  principle  of  the  stamens. 

191.  The  pistillum  has  at  its  base  one  or  more  cavities  or 
tells,  in  which  hodies  called  ovulate  placed;  and  at  its  apex 
one  or  more  secreting  surfaces  called  stigmata. 

192.  The  ovula  are  the  rudiments  of  seeds. 

193  If  the  fertilising  powder  of  the  pollen  come  in  contact 
with  the  stigma,  the  ovula  in  the  cells  of  the  pistillum  are 
vivified,  and  become  seeds. 

194.  But  if  this  contact  does  not  take  place  the  ovula  cannot 
possibly  be  vivified,  but  shrivel  up  and  perish. 

195-  The  phenomenon  of  vivification  takes  place  in  conse- 
quence of  the  descent  of  a  portion  of  the  moving  panicles  (190.) 
of  the  pollen  into  the  ovula,  where  such  particles  form  the 
commencement  of  future  plants. 

196.  In  wild  plants  a  stigma  is  usually  acted  upon  only  by 
the  pollen  of  the  stamens  which  belong  to  it. 

197.  In  this  case  the  seeds  thus  vivified  will,  when  sown, 
produce  new  individuals,  differing  very  little  from  that  by 
which  they  were  themselves  produced. 

108.  And,  therefore,  wild  plants  are  for  the  most  part  multi- 
plied from  generation  to  generation  without  change. 

199.  But  it  is  possible  to  cause  deviations  from  this  law,  by 
artificial  means. 

200.  If  the  pollen  of  one  species  is  placed  upon  the  stigma, 
of  another  spec;es,  the  ovula  will  be  vivified;  and  what  is 
called  a  hybnd  plant  will  be  produced,  by  those  ovula  when 
they  shall  have  grown  to  be  seeds. 

201.  Hybrid  plants  are  different  from  both  their  parents, 
and  are  generally  intermediate  in  character  between  them. 

202.  ^hey  have  little  power  of  perpetuating  themselves  by 
seeds;  but  they  may  if  woody  be  perpetuated  by  cuttings 
(312.),  buds  (354.)  scions  (335.),  &c. 

203.  Therefore,  no  hybrids  but  such  as  are  of  a  wroody 
perennial  character  can  be  perpetuated. 

204.  It  usually  happens  that  the  hybrid  has  the  constitution 
and  general  aspect  of  the  poliiniferous  parent ;  but  is  in- 
fluenced in  secondary  characters  by  the  peculiarity  of  the 
female  parent. 

205.  This  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  in  procuring  new 
hybrid  plants. 

206.  Really  hybrid  plants  must  not  be  confounded  with  such 
as  are  spurious,  in  consequence  of  their  origin  being  between 
two  varieties  of  the  same  species,  and  not  two  species  of  the 
same  genus. 

207."  Hybrid  plants,  although  incapable  of  perpetuation  by- 
seed,  are  often  more  abundant  flowerers  than  either  parent. 

208.  This  is,  probably,  connected  with  constitutional 
debility.  (162.)  ; 


FRUIT.  161 

VIII.    Fruit. 

209.  Fruit,  strictly  speaking,  is  the  pistillum  arrived  at 
maturity. 

210.  When  the  calyx  adheres  to  the  pistillum  and  grows 
with  it,  to  maturity,  the  fruit  is  called  inferior;  as  the  Apple. 

211.  But  when  the  pistillum  alone  ripens,  there  being  no 
adhesion  to  it  on  the  part  of  the  calyx,  the  fruit  is  called  supe- 
rior; as  the  Peach. 

212.  The  fruit,  is,  therefore,  in  common  language,  the 
flower,  or  some  part  of  it,  arrived  at  its  most  complete  state 
of  existence  ;  and,  consequently,  is  itself  a  portion  of  a  stunted 
branch.  (153.) 

213.  The  nature  of  its  connection  with  the  stem  is  therefore 
the  same  as  that  of  the  branches  with  each  other,  or  of  leave 
with  their  stem. 

214.  A  superior  Fruit,  consisting  only  of  one,  or  of  a  small 
number  of  metamorphosed  leaves,  it  has  little  or  no  power  of 
forming  a  communication  with  the  earth  and  of  feeding  itself, 
as  real  brandies  have.  (89.) 

215.  It  has  also  very  little  adhesion  to  its  branch ;  so  that 
but  slight  causes  are  sufficient  to  detach  it  from  the  plant, 
especially  at  an  early  age,  when  all  its  parts  are  tender. 

216.  Hence  the  difficulty  of  causing  Peaches  and  the  like 
to  stone,  or  to  pass  over  that  age,  in  which  the  vascular  bundles 
that  join  them  to  the  branch  become  woody,  and  secure  them 
to  their  place. 

217.  For  the  same  reason  they  are  fed  almost  entirely  by 
other  parts,  upon  secreted  matter  which  they  attract  to  them- 
selves, elaborate,  and  store  up  in  the  cavities  of  their  tissue. 

218.  The  office  of  feeding  such  fruit  is  performed  by  young 
branches  which  transmit  nutriment  to  it  through  the  bark.  (69.) 

219.  But  as  young  branches  can  only  transmit  nutriment 
downwards,  it  follows  that  unless  a  fruit  is  formed  on  a  part 
of  a  branch  below  a  leaf  bud,  it  must  perish. 

220.  Unless  there  is  some  active  vegetation  in  the  stem 
above  the  branch  on  which  it  grows;  when  it  may  possibly  live 
and  feed  upon  secretions  attracted  by  it  from  the  main  stem.1. 

221.  But  inferior  fruit,  consisting  at  least  of  the  calyx  in 
addition  to  the  pistillum,  has  a  much  more  powerful  commu- 
nication with  the  branch  ;  each  division  of  its < calyx  having 
at  least  one  bundle  of  vascular  and  fibrous  tissue,  passing  from 
it  into  the  branch,  and  acting  as  a  stay  upon  the  centre  to 
prevent  its  breaking  cif. 

222.  Such  fruit  may  be  supposed  much  more  capable  of 
establishing  a  means  oC  attracting  secretions  from  a  distance; 
and  consequently,  is  less  liable  to  perish  from  want  of  a 
supply  of  food 

223.  It  is  therefore  not  so  important  that  an  inferior  fruit 
should  be  furnished  with  growing  branehes  above  it. 

14* 


162  FRUIT. 

224.  Fruit  is  exclusively  fed  by  the  secretions  prepared  for 
it  by  other  parts  ;  it  is  therefore  affected  by  nearly  the  same 
circumstances  as  flowers. 

225.  It  will  be  large  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  food 
the  stem  can  supply  to  it ;  and  small  in  proportion  to  the 
inability  of  the  stem  to  nourish  it. 

226.  For  this  reason,  when  trees  are  weak  they  should  be 
allowed  to  bear  very  little,  if  any,  fruit;  because  a  crop  of 
fruit  can  only  tend  to  increase  their  debility. 

227.  And  in  all  cases  each  fruit  should  be  so  far  separated 
from  all  others  as  not  to  be  robbed  of  its  food  by  those  in  its 
vicinity. 

228.  "\Ve  find  that  nature  has  herself  in  some  measure  provi- 
ded against  injury  to  plants  by  excessive  fecundity,  in  giving 
them  a  power  of  throwing  off  flowers,  the  fruit  of  which  can- 
not be  supported. 

229.  The  flavour  of  fruit  depends  upon  the  existence  of 
certain  secretions,  especially  of  acid  and  sugar;  flavour  will, 
consequently,  be  regulated  by  the  circumstances  under  which 
fruit  is  ripened. 

230.  The  ripening  of  fruit  is  the  conversion  of  acid  and  other 
substances  into  sugar. 

231.  As  the  latter  substance  cannot  be  obtained  at  all  in  the 
dark,  is  less  abundant  in  fruit  ripened  in  diffused  light,  and 
most  abundant  in  fruit  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun, 
the  conversion  of  matter  into  sugar  occurs  under  the  same 
circumstances  as  the  decomposition  of  carbonic  acid.  (141  and 
279) 

232  Therefore,  if  fruit  be  produced  in  situations  much  ex- 
posed to  the  sun,  its  sweetness  will  be  augmented. 

233.  And  in  proportion  as  it  is  deprived  of  the  sun's  direct 
rays  that  quality  will  diminish. 

234.  So  that  a  fruit  which  when  exposed  to  the  sun  is 
sweet,  when  grown  where  no  direct  light  will  reach  it  will 
be  acid;  as  Pears,  Cherries,  &c. 

23-5-  Hence  acidity  may  be  corrected  by  exposure  to  light ; 
and  excessive  sweetness,  or  insipidity,  by  removal  from  light. 

236.  It  is  the  property  of  succulent  fruits  which  are  acid 
when  wild,  to  acquire  sweetness  when  cultivated,  losing  a 
part  of  their  acid- 

237.  -This  probably  arises  from  the  augmentation  of  the 
cellular  tissue,  which  possibly  has  a  greater  power  than 
woody  or  vascular  tissue  of  assisting  in  the  formation  of  sugar. 

238.  As  a  certain  quantity  of  acid  is  essential  to  render  fruit 
agreeable  to  the  palate,  and  as  it  is  the  property  of  cultivated 
fruits  to  add  to  their  saccharine  matter,  but  not  to  form  more 
acid  than  when  wild;  it  follows,  that  in  selecting  wild  fruits  for 
domestication,  those  which  are  acid  should  be  preferred,  and 
those  which  are  swreet  or  insipid  rejected. 

239.  Unless  recourse  is  had  to   hybridism ;  when  a  wild 


SEED. 


1G3 


insipid  fruit  may  be  possibly  improved  (204.)  or  may  be  the 
means  of  improving  something  else. 

240.  It  is  very  much  upon  such  considerations  as  the  fore- 
going that  the  rules  of  training  must  depend. 

IX.     Seed. 

241.  The  seed  is  the  ovulum  arrived  at  perfection. 

242.  It  consists  of  an  integument  enclosing  an  embryo,  which 
is  the  rudiment  of  a  future  plant 

243.  The  seed  is  nourished  by  the  same  means  as  the  fruit; 
and,  like  it,  will  be  more  or  less  perfectly  formed,  according 
to  the  abundance  of  its  nutriment. 

244.  The  plant  developed  from  the  embryo  in  the  seed,  will, 
be  in  all  essential  particulars  like  its  parent  species. 

245.  Unless  its  nature  has  been  changed  by  hybridising. (204.) 

246.  But  although  it  will  certainly,  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances, reproduce  its  species,  it  will  by  no  means  uniformly 
reproduce  the  particular  variety  by  which  it  was  borne. 

217.  So  that  seeds  are  not  the  proper  means  of  propagating 
varieties. 

248.  Nevertheless,  in  annual  or  biennial  plants,  no  means 
can  be  employed  for  propagating  a  variety,  except  the  seeds  ; 
and  yet  the  variety  is  preserved. 

249.  This  is  accomplished  solely  by  the  great  care  of  the 
cultivator,  and  happens  thus. 

250.  Although  a  seed  will  not  absolutely  propagate  the  in- 
dividual, yet  as  a  seed  will  partake  more  of  the  nature  of  its 
actual  parent  than  of  any  thing  else,  its  progeny  may  be  ex- 
pected, as  really  happens,  to  resemble  the  variety  from  which 
it  sprung,  more  than  any  other  variety  of  its  species. 

251.  Provided  its  purity  have  not  been  contaminated  by  the 
intermixture  of  other  varieties. 

252.  By  a  careful  eradication  of  all  the  varieties  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  that  from  which  seed  is  to  be  saved,  by 
taking  care  that  none  but  (he  most  genuine  forms  of  a  variety 
are  preserved,  as  seed-plants  :  and  by  compelling  by  trans- 
plantation a  plant  to  expend  all  its  accumulated  sap  in  the 
nourishment  of  its  seeds,  instead  of  in  the  superabundant 
production  of  foliage,  a  crop  of  seed  may  be  procured,  the 
plants  produced  by  which  will,  in  a  great  measure,  have  the 
peculiar  properties  of  the  parent  variety. 

253.  By  a  series  of  progressive  seed  savings  upon  the  same 
plan,  plants  will  be  at  length  obtained,  in  which  the  habits 
of  the  individual  have  become  as  it  were  fixed,  and  capable  of 
such  exact  reproduction  by  seed,  as  to  form  an  exception  to 
the  general  rule  ;  as  in  Turnips,  Radishes,  &c. 

254.  But  if  the  least  neglect  occurs  in  taking  the  necessary 
precautions  (252.)  to  ensure  a  uniform  crop  of  seed,  possessing 


164 


BAP. 


the  new  fixed  properties,  the  race  becomes  deteriorated,  in 
proportion  to  the  want  of  care  that  has  occurred,  and  loses  its 
characters  of  individuality. 

255.  In  all  varieties  those  seeds  may  be  expected  to  pre- 
serve their  individual  characters  most  distinctly  which  have 
been  the  best  nourished  (243.) ;  it  is,  consequently,  those 
which  should  be  selected  in  preference  for  raising  new  plants, 
from  which  seed  is  to  be  saved. 

256.  When  seeds  are  first  ripened,  their  embryo  is  a  mass 
of  cellular  substance,  containing-  starch,  fixed  carbon,  or  other 
solid  matter  in  its  cavities  ;  and  in  this  state  it  will  remain 
until  fitting  circumstances  occur  to  call  it  into  active  life. 

257.  These  fitting  circumstances  are,  a  temperature  above 
32°  Fahr.,  a  moist  medium,  darkness,  and  exposure  to  air. 

258.  It  then  absorbs  the  moisture  of  the  medium  in  which 
it  lies,  inhales  oxygen  (278.),  and  undergoes  certain  chemical 
changes;  its  vital  powers  cause  it  to  ascend  by  one  extremity 
for  the  purpose  of  finding  light,  and  of  decomposing  its  carbo- 
nic acid  (279.),  by  parting  with  its  accumulated  oxygen,  and 
to  descend  by  the  other  extremity  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a 
constant  supply  of  crude  nutriment. 

259.  Unless  these  conditions  are  maintained,  seeds  cannot 
germinate  ;  and,  consequently  an  exposure  to  light  is  fatal  to 
their  embryo,  because  (278.)  oxygen  will  not  be  absorbed  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  stimulate  the  vital  powers  of  the  embryo 
into  action,  for  the  purpose  of  parting  with  it  again,  by  the 
decomposition  of  the  carbonic  acid  that  has  been  formed  dur- 


ing its  accumulation. 


X.    Sap. 


260.  The  fluid  matter  which  is  absorbed  either  from  the 
earth  or  from  the  air  is  called  sap. 

261.  When  it  first  enters  a  plant  it  consists  of  water  holding 
certain  principles,  especially  carbonic  acid,  in  solution. 

262.  These  principles  chiefly  consist  of  animal  or  vegetable 
matter  in  a  state  of  decomposition,  and  are  energetic  in  pro- 
portion to  their  solubility,  or  tendency  to  form  carbonic  acid 
by  combining  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air. 

263.  Sap  soon  afterwards  acquires  the  nature  of  mucilage 
or  sugar,  and  subsequently  becomes  still  further  altered  by 
the  admixture  of  such  soluble  matter  as  it  receives  in  passing 
in  its  route  through  the  alburnum  or  newly-formed  woody 
tissue.  (65.) 

264.  When  it  reaches  the  vicinity  of  the  leaves  it  is  attracted 
into  them,  and  there,  having  been  exposed  to  light  and  air,  is 
converted  into  the  secretions  peculiar  to  the  species. 

265.  Jt  finally,  in  its  altered  state,  sinks  down  the  bark, 
whence  it  is  given  off  laterally  by  the  medullary  rays,  and  is 
distributed  through  the  system. 


sap.  165 

266  No  solid  matter  whatever  can  be'taken  up  by  the  roots  ; 
for  this  reason  metals,  which  in  the  state  of  oxydes  are  poi- 
sonous, are  perfectly  harmless  in  their  metallic  state,  as  mer- 
cury ;  and  this  is,  no  doubt,  the  cause  why  liquid  manure, 
which  contains  all  the  soluble  parts  of  manure  in  a  fluid  state, 
acts  with  so  much  more  energy  than  stimulating  substances 
in  a  solid  state. 

267.  The  cause  of  the  motion  of  the  sap  is  the  attraction  of 
the  leaf-buds  and  leaves. 

268.  The  leaf-buds  called  into  growth  by  the  combined  ac- 
tion of  the  increasing  temperature  and  light  of  Spring,  decom- 
pose their  carbonic  acid  (279.),  and  attract  fluid  from  the  tis- 
sue immediately  below  them  ;  the  space  so  caused  is  filled 
up  by  fluid  again  attracted  from  below,  and  thus  a  motion 
gradually  takes  place  in  the  sap  from  one  extremity  to  the 
other. 

269.  Consequently  the  motion  of  the  sap  takes  place  first  in 
the  branches  and  last  in  the  roots. 

270.  For  this  reason  a  branch  of  a  plant  subjected  to  a  high 
temperature  in  Winter,  will  grow  while  its  stem  is  exposed 
to  a  very  low  temperature. 

271.  But  growth  under  such  circumstances  will  not  be  long 
maintained,  unless  the  roots  are  secured  from  the  reach  of 
frost;  for,  if  frozen  they  cannot  act,  and  will  consequently  be 
unable  to  replace  the  sap  of  which  the  stem  is  emptied  by  the 
attraction  of  the  buds  c  inverted  into  branches,  and  by  the 
perspiration  of  the  leaves    (XII.) 

272  Whatever  tends  to  inspissate  the  sap.  such  as  a  dry 
and  heated  atmosphere,  or  an  interruption  of  its  rapid  flow, 
or  a  great  decomposition  of  carbonic  acid,  by  full  exposure  to 
light,  has  the  property  of  causing  excessive  vigour  to  be 
diminished,  and  /lower-buds  to  be  produced. 

273.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  whatever  tends  to  dilute 
the  sap,  such  as  a  damp  atmosphere,  a  free  and  uninterrupted 
circulation,  or  a  great  accumulation  of  oxygen  in  consequence 
of  the  imperfect  decomposition  of  carbonic  acid,  has  the  pro- 
perty of  causing  excessively  rapid  growth,  and  an  exclusive 
production  of  leaf-buds. 

274.  Inspissated  or  accumulated  sap  is,  therefore,  a  great 
cause  of  fertility. 

275.  And  thin  fluid,  not  being  elaborated,  fs  a  great  cause 
of  sterility. 

276  The  conversion  of  sap  into  different  kinds  of  secretion 
is  effected  by  the  combined  action  of  Air  (XI.),  Light  (XI.),  and 
Temperature. 

XI.     Air  aivd  Light. 

277.  When  an  embryo  plant  (242.)  is  formed  within  its  in- 
teguments, it  is  usually  colourless.,  or  nearly  so  ;  but,  as  soon 


166  AIR  AND  LIGHT. 

as  it  begins  to  grow,  that  part  which  approaches  the  light 
(the  stem)  becomes,  coloured,  while  the  opposite  extremity 
(the  root)  remains  colourless. 

278-  The  parts  exposed  to  the  air  absorb  oxygen  at  night, 
absorb  carbonic  acid  and  part  with  oxygen  again  in  daylight; 
and  thus  in  the  day-time  purify  the  air,  and  render  it  fit  for 
the  respiration  of  man. 

279-  The  intensity  of  this  latter  phenomenon  is  in  propor- 
tion to  the  intensity  of  solar  light  to  which  leaves  are  directly 
exposed. 

2S0.  Its  cause  is  the  decomposition  of  carbonic  acid,  the  ex- 
trication of  oxygen,  and  the  acquisition  by  the  plant  of  carbon 
in  a  solid  state  :  from  which,  modified  by  the  peculiar  vital 
actions  of  species,  colour  and  secretions  are  supposed  to  result. 

281.  For  it  is  found  that  the  intensity  of  colour  and  the 
quantity  of  secretions  are  in  proportion  to  the  exposure  to 
light  and  air,  as  is  shown  by  the  deeper  colour. of  the  upper 
side  of  leaves,  &c 

282.  And  by  the  fact  that  if  plants  be  grown  in  air  from 
which  light  is  excluded  neither  colour  nor  secretions  are 
formed,  as  is  exemplified  in  blanched  vegetables  ;  which,  if 
even  naturally  poisonous,  may,  from  want  of  exposure  to 
light,  become  wholesome,  as  Celery. 

283  When  any  colour  appears  in  parts  developed  in  the 
dark  it  is  generally  caused  by  the  absorption  of  such  colouring 
matter  as  pre-existed  in  the  root  or  other  body  from  which 
the  blanched  shoot  proceeds,  as  in  some  kinds  of  Rhubarb 
when  forced. 

284.  Or  by  the  deposition  of  colouring  matter  formed  by 
parts  developed  in  light,  as  in  the  subterranean  rootsof  Beet, 
Carrots,  &c. 

285.  What  is  true  of  colour  is  also  true  of  flavour,  which 
equally  depends  upon  light  for  its  existence  ;  because  flavour 
is  produced  by  chemical  alterations  in  the  sap  caused  by  expo- 
sure to  light.   (229  ) 

286.  The  same  thing  occurs  in  regard  to  nutritive  matter, 
which  in  like  manner  is  formed  by  the  exposure  of  leaves  to 
light.  Thus  the  Potato  when  forced  in  dark  houses  contains 
no  more  amylaceous  matter  than  previously  existed  in  the 
original  tuber;  but  acquires  it  in  abundance  when  placed  in 
the  light,  and  deposits  it  in  proportion  as  it  is  influenced  by 
light  and  air.  Thus,  also,  if  Peaches  are  grown  in  wooden 
houses,  at  a  distance  from  the  light,  they  will  form  so  little 
nutritive  matter  as  to  be  unable  to  support  a  crop  of  fruit,  the 
greater  part  of  which  will  fall  ofT.  And  for  a  similar  reason  it 
is  only  the  outside  shoots  of  standard  fruit  trees  that  bear  fruit. 
Considerations  of  this  kind  form  in  part  the  basis  of  pruning 
and  training. 

287.  Light  is  the  most  powerful  stimulus  that  can  be  em- 
ployed to  excite  the  vital  actions  of  plants,  and  its  energy  is 


AIR  AND  LIGHT.  167 

in  proportion  to  its  intensity;  so  that  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun  will  produce  much  more  powerful  effects  than  the  diffused 
light  of  day. 

288.  Hence,  if  buds,  that  are  very  excitable  are  placed  in  a 
diffused  light,  their  excitability  will  be  checked. 

289.  And  if  buds  that  are  very  torpid  are  exposed  to  direct 
light,  they  will  be  stimulated  into  action. 

290.  So  that  what  parts  of  a  tree  shall  first  begin  to  grow 
in  the  Spring  may  be  determined  at  the  will  of  the  cultivator. 

291.  This  is  the  key  to  some  important  practices  in  forcing. 

292.  This  should  also  cause  attention  to  be  paid  to  shading 
buds  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  in  particular  cases  :  as  in 
that  of  cuttings,  whose  buds,  if  too  rapidly  excited,  might  ex- 
haust their  only  reservoir  of  sap,  the  stem,  before  new  roots 
were  formed  to  repair  such  loss. 

293.  As  plants  derive  an  essential  part  of  their  food  from  the 
air  (280.)  by  the  action  of  light,  it  follows  that  in  glass-houses 
those  which  admit  the  greatest  portion  of  light  are  the  best 
adapted  for  purposes  of  cultivation. 

294.  The  proportion  of  opaque  matter  in  the  roof  of  a  glass- 
house constructed  of  wood  varies  from  ^  to  7,— that  of  an  iron 
house  does  not  exceed  -2l3-. 

295.  Therefore  iron  roofed  houses  are  in  this  respect  better 
suited  for  cultivation  than  wooden-roofed  houses. 

296.  And  it  has  been  found  by  experiment,  that  light  passes 
more  freely  through  a  curvilinear  than  through  a  plane  roof, 
and  through  glass  forming  an  acute  angle  with  the  horizon 
than  through  perpendicular  glass,  it  follows  that  a  curvilinear 
roof  is  best,  and  a  plane  roof  with  glass  perpendicularsides  the 
worst  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  the  cultivator. 

297.  For  the  same  reason  common  green  glass  is  less  fitted 
for  glazing  forcing-houses  than  white  crown  glass. 

298.  Poisonous  gases  in  very  minute  quantities  act  upon 
vegetation  with  great  energy.  A  ten-thousandth  part  of  sul- 
phurous acid  gas  is  quickly  fatal  to  the  life  of  plants ;  and 
hence  the  danger  of  flues  heated  by  coal  fires,  and  the  impos. 
sibility  of  making  many  species  grow  in  the  vicinity  of  houses 
heated  by  coal  fires,  or  in  large  towrns. 

XII.    Perspiration. 

299.  It  is  not,  however,  exclusively  by  the  action  of  light 
and  air  that  the  nature  of  sap  is  altered.  Evaporation  is  con^ 
stantly  going  on  during  the  growth  of  a  plant,  and  sometimes 
is  so  copious,  that  an  individual  will  perspire  its  own  weight 
of  water  in  the  course  of  24  hours. 

300.  The  loss  thus  occasioned  by  the  leaves  is  supplied  by 
crude  fluid,  absorbed  by  the  roots,  and  conveyed  up  the  stem 
with  great  rapidity.  • 


168  CUTTINGS. 

301.  The  consequence  of  such  copious  persphation  is  the 
separation  and  solidification  of  the  carbonised  matter  that  is 
produced  for  the  peculiar  secretions  of  a  species. 

302.  For  the  maintenance  of  a  plant  in  health,  it  is  indis- 
pensable that  the  supply  of  fluid  by  the  roots  should  be  con- 
tinual and  uninterrupted. 

303.  If  any  thing  causes  perspiration  to  take  place  faster 
than  it  can  be  counteracted  by  the  absorption  of  fluid  from  the 
earth,  plants  will  be  dried  up  and  perish, 

304.  Such  causes  are,  destruction  of  spongioles,  an  insuffi- 
cient quantity  of  fluid  in  the  soil,  an  exposure  of  the  spongioles 
to  occasional  dryness,  and  a  dry  atmosphere. 

305.  The  most  ready  means  of  counteracting  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  an  imperfect  action  of  the  roots  is  by  preventing  or 
diminishing  evaporation. 

306.  This  is  to  be  effected  by  rendering  the  atmosphere 
extremely  humid- 

M07.  Thus,  in  curvilinear  iron  hot-houses,  in  whicri  the 
atmosphere  becomes  so  dry  in  consequence  of  the  heat,  that 
plants  perish,  it  is  necessary  that  the  air  should  be  rendered 
extremely  humid,  by  throwing  water  upon  pavement,  or  by 
introducing  steam. 

308.  And  in  transplantation  in  dry  weather,  evergreens,  or 
plants  in  leaf,  often  die,  because  the  spongioles  are  destroyed, 
or  so  far  injured  in  the  operation  as  to  be  unable  to  act,  while 
the  leaves  never  cease  to  perspire, 

309.  The  greater  certainty  of  transplanting  plants,  that 
have  been  growing  in  pots  is  from  this  latter  circumstance 
intelligible 

310  While  the  utility  of  putting  cuttings  or  newly  trans- 
planted seedlings  into  a  shady  damp  atmosphere,  is  explained 
by  the  necessity  of  hindering  evaporation. 

XIII.     Cuttings. 

311.  When  a  separate  portion  of  a  plant  is  caused  to  pro- 
duce new  roots  and  branches,  and  to  increase  an  individual,  it 
is  a  cutting. 

312.  Cuttings  are  of  two  sorts,— cuttings  properly  so  called, 
and  eyes.    ^319.) 

313.  A  cutting  consists  of  an  internodium,  or  a  part  of  one, 
with  its  nodus  (59.)  and  leaf-bud. 

314.  When  the  internodium  is  plunged  in  the  earth  it  at- 
tracts fluid  from  the  soil,  and  nourishes  the  bud  until  it  can 
feed  itself. 

315.  The  bud,  feeding  at  first  upon  the  matter  in  the  inter- 
nodium, gradually  elongates  upwards  into  a  branch,  and  sends 
organised  matter  downwards,  which  becomes  root?. 

316.  As  soon  as  it  has  established  a  communication  with  the 
soil,  it  becomes  a  new  individual,  exactly  like  that  from  which 
it  was  taken. 


CUTTINGS.  169 

§17.  As  it  is  the  action  of  the  leaf  buds  that  causes  growth 
in  a  cutting,  it  follows  that  no  cutting  without  a  leaf-bud  will 
grow  ; 

318  Unless  the  cntting  has  great  vitality  and  power  of  form- 
ing adventitious  leaf-buds  (119.),  which  sometimes  happens. 

319.  An  eye  is  a  leaf-bud  without  an  internodium. 

320.  It  only  differs  from  a  cutting  in  having  no  reservoir  of 
food  on  which  to  exist,  and  in  emitting  its  roots  immediately 
from  the  base  of  the  leaf-bud  into  the  soil. 

321.  As  cuttings  will  very  often,  if  net  always,  develope 
leaves  before  any  powerful  connection  is  formed  between 
them  and  the  soil,  they  are  peculiarly  liable  to  suffer  from 
perspiration. 

322.  Hence  the  importance  of  maintaining  their  atmosphere 
in  an  uniform  state  of  humidity,  as  is  effected  by  putting  bell 
or  other  glasses  over  them. 

323.  In  this  case,  however,  it  is  necessary  that  if  air-tight 
covers  are  employed,  such  as  bell-glasses,  they  should  be  from 
time  to  time  removed  and  replaced,  for  the  sake  of  getting 
rid  of  excessive  humidity. 

324.  Layers  differ  from  cuttings  in  nothing  except  that  they 
strike  root  into  the  soil  while  yet  adhering  to  the  parent  plant. 

325.  Whatever  is  true  of  cuttings  is  true  of  layers,  except 
that  the  latter  are  not  liable  to  suffer  by  evaporation,  because 
of  their  communication  with  the  parent  plant. 

326.  As  cuttings  strike  roots  into  the  earth  by  the  action  of 
leaves  or  leaf- buds,  it  might  be  supposed  that  they  will  strike 
most  readily  when  the  leaves  or  leaf-buds  are  in  their  greatest 
vigour. 

327.  Nevertheless,  this  power  is  controlled  so  much  by  the 
peculiar  vital  powers  of  different  species,  and  by  secondary 
considerations,  that  it  is  impossible  to  say  that  this  is  an  ab- 
solute rule. 

328.  Thus  Dahlias  and  other  herbaceous  plants  will  strike 
root  freely  when  cuttings  are  very  young;  and  Heaths,  Aza- 
leas, and  other  hard  wooded  plants,  only  when  the  wood  has 
just  begun  to  harden. 

329.  The  former  is,  probably,  owing  to  some  specific  vital 
excitability,  the  force  of  which  we  cannot  appreciate;  the 
latter  either  to  a  kind  of  torpor,  which  seems  to  seize  such 
plants  when  their  tissue  is  once  emptied  of  fluid,  or  to  a  natu- 
ral slowness  to  send  downwards  woody  matter,  whether  for 
wood  or  not,  which  is  the  real  cause  of  their  wood  being  harder. 

330.  If  ripened  cuttings  are  upon  the  whole  the  most  fitted 
for  multiplication,  it  is  because  their  tissue  is  less  absorbent 
than  when  younger,  and  that  they  are  less  likely  to  suffer 
either  from  repletion  or  evaporation. 

331.  For  to  gorge  tissue  with  food,  before  leaves  are  in  action 
to  decompose  and  assimilate  it,  is  as  prejudical  as  to  empty 
tissue  by  the  action  of  leaves,  before  spongioles  are  prepared 
to  replenish  it.  15 


.^f70  scions.; 

332.  For  mis  reason  pure  silex,  in  which  no  stimulating 
substances  are  contained  ^silver  sand),  is  the  best  adapted  for 
promoting  the  rooting  of  cuttings  that  strike  with  difficulty. 

333.  And  for  the  same  reason,  cuttings  with  what  gardeners 
call  a  heel  to  them,  or  a  piece  of  the  older  wood,  strike  root 
more  readily  than  such  as  are  not  so  protected.  The  greater 
ageof  the  tissue  of  the  heel  renders  it  less  absorbent  than  tissue 
that  is  altogether  newly  formed. 

334.  It  is  to  avoid  the  bad  effect  of  evaporation  that  leaves 
are  usually  for  the  most  part  removed  from  a  cutting,  when  it 
is  first  prepared. 

XIV.     Scioss. 

335.  A  scion  is  a  cutting  (311.)  which  is  caused  to  grow 
upon  another  plant,  and  not  in  earth. 

336.  Scions  are  of  two  sorts,  scions  properly  so  called,  and 
buds.  (354)  . 

337.  Whatever  is  true  of  cuttings  is  true  also  of  scions,  all 
circumstances  being  equal. 

338.  When  a  scion  is  adapted  to  another  plant,  it  attracts 
fluid  from  it  for  the  nourishment  of  its  leaf  buds  until  they  can 
feed  themselves.  *     .   ■ 

339.  Its  leaf-buds  thus  fed  gradually  grow  upwards  into 
branches,  and  send  woody  matter  down  wards,  which  is  analo- 
gous to  roots. 

340.  At  the  same  time  the  cellular  substance  of  the  scion  and 
its  stock  adheres  (19  )  so  as  to  form  a  complete  organic  union. 

341.  The  woody  matter  descending  from  the  bud  passes 
through  the  cellular  substance  into  the  stock,  where  it  occupies 
the  same  situation  as  would  have  been  occupied  by  woody 
matter  supplied  by  buds  belonging  to  the  stock  itself. 

342.  Once  united,  the  scion  covers  the  wood  of  the  stock 
with  new  wood,  and  causes  the  production  of  new  roots. 

343.  But  the  character  of  the  the  woody  matter  sent  down 
by  the  scion  over  the  wood  of  the  stock  being  determined  by 
the  cellular  substance,  which  has  exclusively  a  horizontal 
developement  (73.),  it  follows  that  the  wood  ot  the  stock  will 
always  remain  apparently  the  same,  although  it  is  furnished 
by  the  scion. 

344  Some  scions  will  grow  upon  a  stock  without  being  able 
to  transmit  any  woody  matter  into  it  ;  as  some  Cacti. 

345.  When  this  happens,  the  adhesion  of  the  two  takes 
place  by  the  cellular  substance  only,  and  the  union  is  so 
imperfect  that  a  slight  degree  of  violence  suffices  to  dissever 

346  And  in  such  cases  the  buds  are  fed  by  their  woody 
matter,  which  absorbs  the  ascending  sap  from  the  stock  at  the 
point  where  the  adhesion  has  occurred  ;  and  the  latter,  never 
augmenting  in  diameter,  is  finally  overgrown  by  the  scion. 


scio>s.  171 

347.  When,  in  such  instances,  the  communication  between 
Uie  stock  and  the  scion  is  so  much  interrupted  that  the  sap  can 
no  longer  ascend  with  sufficient  rapidity  into  the  branches, 
the  latter  die  ;  as  in  many  Peaches. 

348  This  incomplete  union  between  the  scion  and  its  stock 
is  owing  to  some  constitutional  or  organic  difference  in  the  two. 

349.  Therefore  care  should  be  taken  that  when  plants  are 
grafted  on  one  another,  their  constitution  should  be  as  nearly 
as  possible  identical. 

350.  As  adhesion  of  only  an  imperfect  nature  takes  place 
When  the  scion  and  stock  are,  to  a  certain  degree,  dissimilar 
in  constitution,  so  will  no  adhesion  whatever  occur  when 
their  constitutional  differences  are  very  decided. 

351.  Hence  it  is  on'y  species  very  nearly  allied  in  nature 
that  can  be  grafted  on  each  other. 

352.  As  only  similar  tissues  will  unite  (19.),  it  is  necessary 
in  applying  a  scion  to  the  stock,  that  similar  parts  should  be 
carefully  adapted  to  each  other;  as  bark  to  bark,  cambium  to 
cambium,  and  alburnum  to  alburnum. 

353.  The  second  is  more  especially  requisite,  because  it  is 
through  the  cambium  that  the  woody  matter  sent  downwards 
by  the  buds  must  pass;  and  also  because  cambium  itself,  being 
organising  matter  in  an  incipient  state,  will  more  readily  form 
an  adhesion  than  any  other  part, 

354.  The  same  principles  apply  to  buds,  which  are  to  scions 
precisely  what  eyes  (319.)  are  to  cuttings. 

355.  Inarching  is  the  same  with  reference  to  grafting,  that 
layering  (324)  is  with  reference  to  striking  by  cuttings. 

356.  It  serves  to  maintain  the  vitality  of  a  scion  until  it  <?an 
form  an  adhesion  with  its  stock  ;  and  must  be  considered  the 
most  certain  mode  of  grafting. 

357.  It  is  probable  that  every  species  of  flowering  plant, 
without  exception,  may  be  multiplied  by  grafting. 

358.  Nevertheless,  there  are  many  species  and  even  tribes 
that  never  have  been  grafted. 

359.  It  has  been  found  that  in  the  Vine  and  the  Walnut  this 
difficulty  can  be  overcome  by  attention  to  their  peculiar  con- 
stitutions; and  it  is  probable  that  the  same  attention  will 
remove  supposed  difficulties  in  the  case  of  other  species. 

XV.  Transplantation. 

360.  Transplantation  consists  in  removing  a  plant  from  the 
soil  in  which  it  is  growing  to  some  other  soil. 

361.  If  in  the  operation  the  plant  is  torpid,  and  its  spon- 
gioles  uninjured,  the  removal  will  not  be  productive  of  any 
interruption  to  the  previous  rate  of  growth. 

362.  And  if  it  is  growing,  or  evergreen,  and  the  spongioles 
ire  uninjured,  the  removal  will  produce  no  further  iniury  than 


172  TRANSPLANTATION. 

may  arise  from  the  temporary  suspension  of  the  action  of  the 
spongioles,  and  the  noncessation  of  perspiration  during  the 
operation. 

363.  So  that  transplantation  may  take  place  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year,  and  under  all  circumstances,  provided  thespongioles 
are  uninjured. 

364.  This  applies  to  the  largest  trees  as  well  as  to  the 
smallest  herbs. 

365.  But  as  it  is  impossible  to  take  plants  out  of  the  earth 
without  destroying  or  injuring  the  spongioles,  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  such  accidents  must  be  remeuied  by  the  hindrance 
of  evaporation. 

368.  Transplantation  should  therefore  take  place  only  when 
plants  are  torpid,  and  when  their  respiratory  organs  (leaves) 
are  absent ;  or,  if  they  never  lose  those  organs,  as  evergreens  , 
only  at  seasons  when  the  atmosphere  is  periodically  charged 
with  humidity  for  some  considerable  time. 

367.  Old  trees  in  which  the  roots  are  much  injured  form 
new  ones  so  slowly,  that  they  are  very  liable  to  be  exhausted 
of  sap  by  the  absorption  of  their  very  numerous  young  buds 
before  new  spongioles  can  be  formed. 

366.  The  amputation  of  all  their  upper  extremities  is  the 
most  probable  prevention  of  death  ;  but  in  most  cases  injury 
of  their  roots  is  without  a  remedy. 

369.  Plants  in  pots  being  so  circumstanced  that  the  spongi- 
oles are  protected  from  injury,  can,  however,  be  transplanted 
at  all  seasons,  without  any  dangerous  consequences. 


173 

TO    THE 

PEOPLE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

FELLOW-CITIZENS  : 

An  application  having  been  made  to  your  representatives  in  Con- 
gress, to  vote  a  sum  equal  to  five  cents  from  each  individual  in  the 
United  States,  or  about  a  million  dollars  of  your  resources,  to  the 
promotion  of  an  improved  system  of  "  Terra-culture^  as  described  in 
Senate,  document  No  23,  of  the  third  session  of  the  25th  Congress,  I 
hereby  direct  your  attention  to  a  few  extracts  taken  from  the  applicant's 
preamble;  copies  of  which  have  been  forwarded  to  each  member  of  the 
2Gth  Congress,  in  session,  November  30,  1839. 

From  the  Poughkeepsie  Eagle,   Saturday  Morning,  January  25,  1849. 

PRESERVATION  OF  FRUIT  TREES,  PLANTS,  &c 
GREAT  DISCOVERY. 

To  the  Hon.  Perry  Smith,  chairman  of  the  United  States  Senate 
Committee  on  Agriculture  of  the  25th  Congress.  "With  the  consent 
and  by  the  advice  on  the  23d  inst.,  of  the  chairman  of  the  Unite  I  States 
Senate  Committee  on  Agriculture  of  the  25th  Congress,  I  forward  to 
each  member  of  the  26th  Congress,  the  accompanying  document  dated 
the  14th  inst;  the  object  is  tj  show  you  sotrf  of  the  proof  that  a  di-covery 
of  vital  importance  to  civilized  man  has  been  made,  which  in  several 
letters  from  different  members  of  the  present  and  last  Congress,  is  valued 

at  HUNDREDS  OF  MILLIONS  OF  DAYs'  LABOUR,  AND  WORTH  MORE  THAN  ALL 
THE  DISCOVERIES  OF  THE  PRESENT  AGE  COMBINED — THE  APPLICATION  OF 
STEAM   NOT   EXCEPTED  " 

"  For  what  purpose  would  all  the  owners  of  the  public  lands  more 
freely  or  gratefully  consent  to  give  one  hundreth  part  of  those  lands,  or 
the  proceeds  thereof/  Would  they  not  be  grateful  to  those  members  of 
Congress,  who  assist  in  giving  the  owners  of  the  public  domain  the 
desired  information,  and  reverence  them  as  benefactors  of  human  kind.1' 

"  For  the  honour  of  the  republic,  for  the  honour  of  the  age,  and  for 
the  interest  and  comfort  of  the  living,  as  well  as  the  unborn,  let  not  that 
discovery  which  may  cause  two  seeds  to  ripen  where  one  now  does, 
which  prevents  the  premature  death  of  all  cultivated  trees,  which  has 
been  searched  for  in  vain  during  the  history  of  all  civilized  society,  die 
with  the  discoverer  for  want  of  the  action  of  the  United  States  Congress.1' 

Our  patriot  c  dl-covorer  "  claims  the  following  five  discovi  ries  as  his. 
besides  other  discoveries  which  are  stated  in  his  memorial  t)  the  25th 
Congress:'1 — 

1st.  "That  various  diseases,  universally  supposed  to  be  destructive  to 
plants,  are  only  symptoms  that  a  particular  error  in  cultivation  has  been 
committed;  and  that  many  other  injurious  effects  have  been  produced 
by  the  same  error,  which  are  attributed  to  other  causes." 

2d.  "  That  the  error  is  universally  committed,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  throughout  the  States,  and  that  he  has  seen  an  excess  of  it 
wherever  he  has  been,  which  is  in  the  Atlantic  States,  from  Georgia  to 
Massachusetts  inclusive.'' 

3d.  "  That  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  are  more  easily  injured  by  the 
error  than  most  other  Fruit  Trees,  and  the  cause  of  their  being  more 
easily  injured  by  it;  and  that  this  error  causes  them  to  be  barren,  or 
short-lived." 

4th.  "  That  the  applicationof  two  known  laws  in  Nature  demonstrate 
the  reality  of  his  discovery  and  its  application  to  the  whole  vegetable 
kingdom;  and  that  by  them,  his  discovery,  (if  publicly  known,)  must  be 

15* 


174 

perpetuated,  and  his  practice  more  easily  introduced  ;  and  that  by  these 
two  laws  the  occasional  success  of  common  remedies  is  explained." 

5th.  "That  the  said  error  is  the  obstacle  which  has  discouraged  ex- 
perimenters, and  lamentably  retarded  improvements  in  the  science  and 
practice  of  agriculture  ;  and  that  he  has  discovered  facts  and  made  him- 
self acquainted  with  knowledge  sufficient  to  reduce  them  to  practice." 

We  are  further  informed,  "that  it  is  neither  climate,  nor  soil,  nor 
insects,  nor  worms,  that  are  the  cause  of  many  of  the  disastrous  effects 
that  have  been  attributed  to  them,  but  that  those  effects  are  produced  by 
error  in  cultivation,  which  diseases  the  smallest  plant  or  largest  tree.'' 

Our  modest  and  patriotic  fellow-citizen  admits  in  the  course  of  his 
preamble,  "  that  the  practical  part  of  his  discovery  is  so  extremely 
simple  and  economical,  that  it  costs  no  more  to  prevent  the  diseases 
than  it  does  to  produce  them  ;  and  that  it  is  so  different  from  the  esta- 
blished theories  and  habits  of  the  people,  that  unless  a  large  amount 
be  appropriated,  many  will  be  unwilling  to  try  it,  and  therefore  the 
public  good  seems  to  require  that  a  large  amount  should  be  appropri- 
ated." He  moreover  asserts,  that  "  there  are  two  known  laws  in 
Nature,  by  which  the  reality  of  his  discovery,  and  its  application  to  the 
whole  vegetable  kingdom,  are  demonstrable  in  less  than  thirty  words." 

That  this  invaluable  secret,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  not  strictly  speaking 
a  new  discovery,  is  demonstrable  by  numerous  living  witnesses  which 
have  inhabited  the  fields  and  forests  of  the  old  world  for  over  a  thousand 
years  ;  and  our  discoverer  freely  admits,  and  in  very  emphatic  language, 
that  there  are  thousands  of  trees  in  our  own  country  on  which,  what  he 
terms  "the  common  error,"  has  never  been  committed  ;  and  also,  that 
several  of  the  fifteen  gentlemen  to  whom  he  communicated  his  secret, 
confidently  forever,  have  some  such  trees  on  their  own  domains. 

Hear  him — "  The  Senator  from  Missouri,  (Mr.  Linn,)  said,  that  the 
most  flourishing  and  healthy  Peach  tree  in  his  possession  had  never  had 
what  I  call  the  common  error  in  cultivation  committed  upon  it." 

"  The  Senator  from  Pennsylvania,  (Mr.  A'JcKean,)  said,  that  he  had 
long  supposed  that  what  1  call  the  common  error,  was  an  error,  but  that 
he  had  no  idea  of  such  extensive  evils  arising  from  it." 

"The  Senator  from  Mar)  land,  (Mr.  Spence,)  said,  that  in  his  district 
it  was  a  universal  custom  to  commit  what  I  call  the  common  error  in 
cultivation,  on  the  fruit  trees,  and  that  it  was  as  common  to  have  no 
Plums  perfect  and  free  from  worms,  excepting  on  a  few  of  his,  on 
which  the  error  had  not  been  committed  for  twenty  years,  if  ever;  and 
those  few  (four)  continued  to  bear  abundantly  annually  ;  that  he  had  no 
recollection  of  ever  seeing  an  imperfect  wormy  Plum  on  either  of  these 
four  trees,  but  that  he  had  never  supposed  that  to  have  been  the  cause 
of  their  perfection." 

The  Senator  from  South  Carolina,  (Mr.  Calhoun),  to  whom  I  am 
indebted  for  pointing  out  one  symptom  of  the  error,  and  for  a  valuable 
suggestion  in  the  culture  of  plants,  said,  "  while  examining  the  defective 
trees  around  the  Capitol,  that  the  principle  when  exhibited,  was  very 
plain  and  simple,  that  it  was  philosophical,  and  in  his  opinion  it  could 
not  be  neglected  without  injury  to  the  health  and  growth  of  trees  and 
plants,  and  deserving  of  public  patronage." 

"The  Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.  (Mr.  Johnson,)  said,  that  my  dis- 
covery was  perfectly  consistent  with  the  laws  of  JNature;  and,  (when 
observing  a  few  trees  near  the  Capitol,  which  had  been  injured  by  the 
error,  and  were  recovering,)  further  remarked,  that  my  theory  was 
essentially  correct  and  obvious  to  the  most  superficial  observer." 

"  The  member  from  New-York,  (Mr.  Jackson,)  said  that  he  had 
reared  an  orchard  on  which  he  had  carefuly  avoided  an  excess  of  what  I 


175 

call  the  common  error,  and  that  it  had  been  admired  as  the  most  flourish- 
ing and  fruitful  orchard  in  the  neighbourhood  ;  and  that  he  had  recently 
seen  a  field  of  Iudian  corn,  which  yielded  more  than  one  hundred  bushels 
of  shelled  grain  to  the  acre,  in  which  an  excess  of  the  error  had  been 
avoided,  while  the  success  was  attributed  to  quite  a  different  cause." 

From  the  preceding  extracts,  it  is  evident  thaUhis  inestimable  treasure 
lays  near  the  surface  ;  and  from  the  disclosure  having  been  communicated 
to  rational  and  intelligent  minds,  it  is  preposterous  to  expect  that  those 
gentlemen  can,  in  the  pursuit  of  their  rural  avocations,  act  directly  con- 
trary to  knowledge  and  sound  judgment;  they  must,  therefore, necessa- 
rily and  unavoidably  communicate  the  secret  by  their  example,  which 
will  eventually  disseminate,  in  proportion  as  mankind  take  an  interest 
in  the  merits  of  the  alleged  discovery. 

But  lest  the  full  benefits  of  this  invaluable  remedy  should  be  withheld 
from  the  (  ommunity  for  want  of  the  action  of  the  United  States  Congress, 
I  have  submitted  an  exposition  of  my  vieidS  of  the  particular  points 
adverted  to  in  the  preamble,  which  may  be  fouud  under  the  heads,  Necta- 
rine, Peach,  and  Plum,  pages  311,  319  and  337,  of  the  eighth  edition  of 
the  Young  Gardener's  Assistant;  and  I  would  furthermore  remind  my 
readers  that  the  directions  heretofore  given  in  this  and  previous  editions 
of  the  works  are  in  strict  accordance  with  the  same  doctrine  ;  and  that 
although  the  error  alluded  to  is  admitted  to  have  been  very  generally 
committed,  I  am  not  aware  that  any  writer  has  ever  taught  or  encouraged 
the  error,  either  director  indirect;  I  confess,  however,  that  I  have  been 
induced  to  expatiate  on  this  malpractice  in  horticulture,  from  the  subject 
having  elicited  the  grave  consideration  of  enlightened  legislators  of  these 
United  States. 

And  lest  these  my  voluntary  disclosures  should  prove  to  have  no 
bearing  on  the  alleged  discovery,  I  would  prepare  the  public  mind  for  its 
reception  by  an  exhortation  to  tkmpf.rance  and  moderation,  as  the 
only  safe  course  that  can  be  considered  applicable  to  the  cultivation  of 
all  the  varied  species  of  plants,  which  comprise  '•  the  whole  vegetable 
kingdom/'  In  articles,  pages  19.  134,  146  and  217,  I  have  shown  that 
the  various  species  of  plants  which  occupy  our  greenhouses,  gardens, 
and  fields,  require  each  their  peculiar  aliment — they  having  been  col- 
lected from  all  the  diversified  regions,  climates,  and  soils  through  earth's 
remotest  bounds ;  they  consequently  comprise  natives  of  mountains  and 
rocks,  as  well  as  of  plains,  valleys,  and  water  courses.  The  most  essen- 
tial aliment  for  natives  of  warm  climates  and  dry  soils  being  heat, 
artificial  means  are  used  in  cool  seasons,  and  unpropitious  climates  to 
produce  it.  Natives  of  temperate  climates  require  salubrious  aih,  hence 
they  are  cultivated  to  the  greatest  perfe*.  ion  in  our  Northern  States  in 
Spring  and  Autumn  ;  and  in  our  Southern  States  in  the  Winter;  see  page 
355,  and  natives  of  humid  climates,  as  also  amphibious  plants  in  general, 
require  a  more  than  ordinary  share  of  moisture,  and  grow  best  in  wet 
soil ;  but  these  three  lements  collectively  constitute  the  food  of  plants 
in  general,  and  should  be  judiciously  imparted  to  the  various  species,  in 
due  proportions  according  to  circumstances.  See  pages  41,  54,  57  and 
858,  for  a  more  concise  view  of  this  subject.  I  have  also  shown, 
that  the  roots  of  various  species  of  plants  require  each  their  peculiar 
aliment,  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  descriptions  of  land ;  this  is 
demonstrated  by  roots  of  trees  being  frequently  discovered  spreading 
beyond  their  ordinary  bounds  in  quest  of  salutary  food. 

Although  it  has  been  admitted  that  excessive  deep  planting  of  trees 
and  plants  is  injurious,  and  in  many  cases  fatal  to  their  very  existence, 
it  does  not  follow  that  all  annuals  and  biennials  are  injured  by  the  same 
means;  on  the  contrary,  the  earthing  up  of  particular  species  of  plants 


176 

in  a  late  stage  of  growth  is  calculated  to  promote  early  maturity,  which 
constitutes  tho  most  essential  art  in  gardening  for  the  market;  because 
the  earliest  crops  are  always  the  most  profitable.  It  is  moreover  a  ne- 
cessary practice  in  climates  where  the  seasons  for  gardening  are  short — 
as  without  such  practice,  many  kinds  of  vegetables  could  not  possibly 
be  matured  in  due  season  for  gathering  before  Winter. 

I  would  here  take  the  opportunity  of  proving  this  last  position,  by 
reminding  the  reader  that  the  effects  of  deep  planting,  the  Peach  tree 
for  instance,  is  discoverable  soon  after  the  error  is  committed,  by  its 
fruit  ripening  prematurely,  and  this  is  often  the  case  for  a  year  or  two 
prior  to  its  final  decease,  and  should  operate  as  a  salutary  lesson  against 
planting  perennial  plants  and  trees  too  deep. 

In  conclusion  of  this  article,  which  is  intended  as  an  appendage  to  my 
works  on  gardening,  I  would  urge  gardeners  and  cultivators  to  consult 
the  operations  of  Nature  in  all  their  rural  pursuits  ;  and  with  a  view  to 
aid  them,  I  subjoin  the  following  rules,  which  are  further  illustrated 
under  the  different  heads  : 

1.  In  transplanting  fruit  trees,  let  the  collar,  or  that  part  from  which 
emanate  the  main  roots,  be  near  the  surface,  A  medium-sized  tree  may 
be  planted  an  inch  deeper  than  it  was  in  the  nursery  bed  ;  and  the  largest 
should  not  exceed  two  or  three  inches,  see  pages  311,  319,  337  and  367 
of  the  Young  Gardener's  Assistant,  eighth  edition. 

2.  In  the  cultivation  of  such  plants  as  are  transplanted,  or  grown  in 
hills  or  clusters,  as  Indian  Corn,  &c.  keep  the  earth  loose  but  level  around 
them  in  their  early  stages  of  growth,  by  frequent  hoeing,  ploughing,  or 
cultivating;  and  to  promote  early  maturity,  throw  a  moderate  portion 
of  earth  about  the  roots  and  stems  at  the  last  or  final  dressing. 

3.  In  the  sowing  of  seeds,  remember  that  in  unity  thehe  is  strength, 
and  that  from  the  germinative  parts  of  a  seed  being  weak  and  diminutive, 
it  cannot  be  expected  to  perforate  through  the  soil,  solitary  and  alone. 
To  insure  a  fair  chance,  plant  yonr  seeds  moderately  thick,  and  thin  out 
the  surplus  plants  while  young.  In  planting  seeds  in  drills,  which  is  the 
most  eligible  plan,  the  size  of  the  seed  and  strength  of  its  germ  should 
be  considered ;  large  seeds,  producing  vigorous  roots,  require  deeper 
planting  than  diminutive  seeds,  producing  delicate  roots  &  slender  stalks. 

4  In  the  choice  of  compost  for  exotic  or  greenhouse  plants,  imitate 
the  native  soil  of  each  pecidiar  species  as  nearly  a-  possible,  by  a  judi. 
cious  mixture  oi  maiden  earth,  loam  sand,  leaf,  swamp  and  rock  mould, 
decomposed  manures,  and  such  other  composts  as  are  recommended 
undi  r  the  different  heads.  Remember,  that  although  strong  manure  is 
essential  to  the  growth  of  some  plants,  it  is  poisonous  to  others.  Pursuf, 
then,  a  mldiu  m  course.  From  your  soil  not  being  too  stiff  or  too  light, 
too  rich  or  too  poor,  too  cool  or  too  warm,  too  close  or  too  porous,  if. 
not  po-itively  salutary  and  congenial  to  all,  it  must  render  the  situation 
of  each  endurable.  I  again  repeat,  that  temperance  in  the  use  of 
aliment,  is  as  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  vegetable  family,  as  it  is  to 
the  health,  happiness,  and  longevity  of  mankind. 

New-York,  March  4,  1810.  "  T.  BRIDGEMAN. 


O"  Since  this  address  has  been  in  press,  I  have  ?een  another  artie'e 
in  the  Poughkcepsic  Eagle,  dated  February  29,  1840,  wherein  our 
modest  and  patriotic  discoverer  gratuitously  pronounces  his  knowledge 
as  superior  to  that  of  "  all  Botanical  and  Agricultural  known  Writers  .'" 
A^  I  have  anticipated  the  merits  of  this  second  valuable  discovery 
in  my  books,  I  have  nothing  more  to  sav  than  to  remind  the  reader,  that 
this  uncalled  for  attack  on  the  brethren  of  my  fraternity,  fully  justifies 
not  merely  thepublication,  but  the  most  general  circulation  of  these  my 
^un.arydi.do.ure,       D_  M-^y 


ADVERTI8E3IENT3.  177 

AT  THEIR 

Agricultural  &,  Horticultural  Warehouse, 

No.  97  Cuestnut-st.  Philadeli  :iia, 

And   at    their  Green  and  Hot  houses,    JVoodlands,   south  of  Permanent 

Bridge,  on  the  Schuylkill  River,  above  Gray's  Ferry,  and  adjoining  the 

Philadelphia  Almshouse. 

Keep  constantly  on  hand  a  good  supplyofthe  following  articles: 

FLOWER  SEEDS — Two  to  three  hundred  very  handsome  varieties, 
put  up  in  small  papers,  labelled  with  name  and  directions.  Packages,  con- 
taining twenty  varieties  of  beautiful  Annuals,  Biennials,  and  Perennials, 
at  SI  r'ac'1  package. 

VEGETABLE,  or  GARDEN  SEEDS  will  be  supplied  to  traders  at 
wholesale,  or  at  a  large  discount  l.o  n  retail  price, either  !>v  the  pound  or  in 
small  quantities,  neatly  papered  up,  and  labelled,  with  directions  for  their 
culture,  &e.  These  seeds  are  warranted  not  only  fresh,  but  of  superior 
quality.  Boxes  containing  a  go-,d  assortment  of  seeds  for  Family  Garden, 
at  from  $3,00  to  10.00  per  box. 

ORNAMENTAL  PLANTS.— A  select  assortment  of  greenhouse 
plants,  comprising  numerous  varieties  of  chc:  e  Geraniums,  or  Pelargoni- 
ums, China  Roses;  Camellias,  or  Japan  Roses,  choice  Carnations,  Rhode- 
dendrons,  and  various  ornamental  plants  including  Orange,  Lemon  Trees, 
and  such  other  exotic  plants  as  are  best  adapted  to  the  parlour  and  green- 
house. 

BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS  RQQTS.— Hyacinths,  Tulips, 
Narcissus.  Lilies,  and  other  Bulbous  Roots,  together  with  a  full  assortment, 
of  Double  Dahlias,  embracing  all  the  newest  and  most  splendid  varieties  of 
every  shade  and  complexion. 

|3^  Bouquets  of  Flowers  tastefully  arrange1  and  delivered  to  order  at 
the  shortest  notice. 

BOOKS  of  the  most  popular  English  and  American  authors,  upon  va- 
rious subjects,  connected  with  Agriculture,  Horticulture,  Floriculture, 
Rural  Economy,  &c.  wholesale  and  retail. 

FARMING  AND  GARDENING  TOOLS  of  the  best  manufacture, 
and  on  most  approved  principles. 

TREES  AND  SHRUBS. --Fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  evergreen 
shrubs.  GrapeVines  of  the  choicest  varieties,  Chinese!  Mulber".'  Trees.  &c. 

GR.ASS  SE&QS",  wholesale  and  retail.— Timothy,  or  Herd's  Gras.^ ; 
Red  Toj> ;  Northern  Clover  j  Southern;  White  Dutch  Clover;  Lucerne, 
or  French  Clover;  Orchard  Grass;  Tall  Meadow  Grass;  Millet;  Eng- 
lish Rye  Orass;  Potato  Oats,  &c.  Also— Spring  and  Winter  Wheat; 
Spring  and  Winter  Rve  ;   Broom  Corn:   Buck  .  heat,  &c. 

MISCELLANEOUS  ARTICLES,— White  Mulberry  Seed,  Yellow 
Locust  for  Timber  Trees,  Honey  Locust  for  Hedges,  Early  and  Late 
Potatoes  for  Planting,  Russian  Mats  Pulverized  Herbs,  Spl  t  Peas,  Oat 
Meal,  &c.  &c. 

BIRD  SEEDS  and  Birds  of  approved  song.  Chinese  Gold  Fish  and 
Globes,  Bird  Cages  and  Fountains,  Hyacinth  Glasses,  Flower  Pots,  and 
Vases,  and  every  thing  appertaining  to  the  fancy. 

In  short,  it  is  the  intention  of  the  proprietors  to  make  their  Horticultural 
Establishment  the  most  complete  of  its  kind  in  Am  rica. 

Attached  to  the  Store,  is  a  Gallery  of  Paintings,  daily  increasing,  to 
view  which  strangers  visiting  our  city  are  respectfully  invited. 

HIRST  &  DREER. 


173  ADVERTISEMENTS. 

GREENHOUSE  PLANTS— BULBOUS  8?  TUBEROUS  ROOTS, 


T.  BRIDGEMAN  would  here  remind  his  friends  that  he  has  a  Seed 
Store  and  Greenhouse,  corner  of  Eighteenth  st.  and  Broadway,  immedi- 
ately north  of  Union  Place  Park;  and  West  of  the  New-York  and  Har- 
lem Rail  Road ;  and  he  trusts  he  shall  not  be  accused  of  arrogance  or 
rgotism  for  a  serting  his  belief  that  upwards  of  twenty  years'  experience 
as  a  Gardener,  and  fourteen  as  a  Seedsman  in  the  vicinity  of  New-York, 
entitle  him  to  the  confidence  of  the  public, 

He  can  only  here  enumerate  a  few  of  the  leading  articles  in  his  collec- 
tion, which  he  can  conscientiously  recommend  as  being  well  calculated 
to  suit  the  market. 

GARDEN  SEEDS. — A  full  assortment  of  all  those  varieties  of  vege- 
table seeds  that  have  been  tested  in  this  climate,  and  proved  to  have  some 
good  qualities  to  recommend  them;  none  others  will  be  offered  at  the 
counter. 

HERB  SEEDS. — Including  Sage,  Thyme,  SweetMajoram,  Summer 
Savory,  &c. 

FLOWER  SEEDS.— Annual,  Biennial  and  Perennial  Flower  Seeds 
of  the  most  esteemed  varieties. 

GREENHOUSE  PLANTS. — Consisting  of  several  choice  varieties 
of  Geraniums,  or  Pelargoniums,  China  Roses,  Camelias.or  Japan  Ro- 
ses, Carnations  and  various  ornamental  Plants,  including  Orange,  Le- 
mon Trees,  and  such  oth  r  exotic  plants  as  are  best  adapted  to  the  parlour 
and  greenhouse 

BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS  ROOTS —Hyacinths,  Tulips, 
Narcissus,  and  such  other  bulbs  as  are  calculated  to  blossom  in  pots  or 
glasses;  also,  Gladioluses,  Tuberoses,  Amaryllises,  Tiger  Flowers,  &c. 
together  with  a  full  assortment  of  DOUBLE  DAHLIAS,  embracing  all 
the  newest  and  most  splendid  varieties,  of  every  shade  and  complexion. 

HORTICULTURAL  BOOKS. 

The  Kitchen  Gardkxer's  Instructor,  containing  ample  directions 
for  the  cultivation  of  Culinary  Vegetables,   Herbs, 

The  Florist's  Guide,  containing  practical  directions  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  Flowers.     Third  edition  improved. 

The  Young  Gardener's  Assistant,  containing  practical  directions 
for  the  cultivation  of  Culinary  Vegetables,  Flowers,  Fruit  Trees,  the 
Grape  Vine,  &c.  &c.     Eighth  edition  enlarged. 

[CF'S  eedsmen  and  Booksellers  supplied  on  liberal  terms. 


MISCELLANEOUS  ARTICLES. 

BIRD  SEEDS— Hemp,  Canary,  Yellow,  Rape,  and  Millet ;  Flax, 
Timothy,  Clover,  and  Grass  Seeds;  Split  Peas  for  Soup;  Scotch  Barley, 
Russian  Mats,  Flower  Pots,  &c  <&c.  on  moderate  terras. 


179 


INDEX  TO  THE  GENERAL  MATTER. 

Page 

-Annual  Flower  Seed? ,  a  catalogue  of         -         -         -         -        -         16 
Air,  Heat,  Light,  and  Moisture,  essential  to  vegetation  14,  26, 104  &  1*25 

Aspect,  Situation,  &c. 12,64  &  133 

Awning  necessary  to  prot  ct  choice  Flowers,     -         -  I  '8,  s"5  &  9-3 

Address  to  the  People  of  the  United  States         -  173 

Biennial  and  Perennial  Flower  Seeds,  a  catalogue  of         -  j  - 

Blank  Book  recommended         -         -         -         -         -         -         23  &  94 

Bulbous  and  Tuberous  Roots  defined         ...  -         -         63 
Bulbous  and  Tuberous  Roots,  general  manage- 
ment of        -                  62,  93.  130  &131 

Climbing  Plants  de  cribed 19;  30.  &  13 

Changeable  Flower  Garden -  34 

Chrysanthemums 106  &  139 

Camellias,  or  Japan  Roses,  cultivation  of  -       126,  127  &.  141 

Double  Dahlias,  a  catalogue  of 71  to  SO 

Double  Dahlias,  general  management  of  G5 ,8 1  &  130 

Drilling  system  recommended 22  &  24 

Edgings,  Lawns,  &c. -  13  &  35 

Flower  Garden,  observations  on,       -         -        -  11,  11,  27,  36  &  62 

Garden  Tools,  Labels,  &c.  indispensably  necessary,         -  21  &  26 

(Greenhouse  Plants,  general  management  of    -         -         101,  124  to  142 
Greenhouse  Plants,  descriptive  catalogue  of  -        -        108  to  120 

Hot-Beds,  management  of        .....--  123 

Inmates  of  the  garden,  natives  of  various  climates    12,  14,26, 10.1  &  176 

Ins.cts  to  destroy  131  &  132 

Manure,  Compost,  and  Soils,  management  of        -21,  63,  105  &  141 

Monthly  Calendar 124  to  141 

Plants  often  killed  with  kindness     -  103,  106  &  126 
Perennial  I  hints,  to  propagate,       -        -        -          32,  33,47,  61  &  138 
Primulas,  including  Polyanthus,  &c.  culti- 
vation of    129,  133,  134  &  133 

Propagation  of  Shrubs,  Greenhouse  Plants,  &c.  47  to  50,  &,  107 

Protection  of  Flower  Beds,  ....         33,  64,  68  &  96 

Roses,  management  of  47,  49,  129  &  135 

Shrubs.  Flowering  and  Ornamental         -         -         -         -  36  to  47 

Shrubby  Greenhouse  Plants,  management  of  47,  127,  132  &  136 

Thermometer  indispensable  in  a  greenhouse  ...  125 

Transplanting  Flowering  Plants     -  26   33,  &  51 

Shifting,  lotting,  and  Replenishing  Greenhouse  Plants  105  &  137 

Temperance  in  the  use  of  water,  recommended       -         -         103  &  124 
Weather  Observations  and  Prognostics  on    -  -  121  to  141 


POETIC 


Flowers    - 

Call  of  the  Flowers 

To  raise  your  Flowers      - 

Spring 

First  Flowers 

The  Beauties  of  April  and  May 

The  Matrimonial  Garden 


PIECES. 

Page. 

. 

. 

9 

- 

- 

10 

. 

- 

14 

. 

. 

21 

. 

- 

35 

. 

. 

52  to  61 

- 

- 

142 

ISO  INDEX  TO 

BULBOUS  AND  TUBEROUS  ROOTS. 

Practical  directions  for  the  cultivation  of  which  will  be  found  under  each  head, 

Page. 

Amaryllises            --*•'-».  66 

Anemones  and  Ranunculuses                  -             -            -            -  67 

Crocuses               ---.-..  gg 

Crown  Imperials              -            -             -                          -            -  69 

Colchicums            ....                          .             ,  59 

Cyclamens,  Persian          -            -            -            »            -            ..  69 

Double  Dahlias                 »..-..  70 

Gladioluses              .......  g2 

Hyacinths               .......  84 

Irises          ....             ....  85 

Ixias          ....             ....  86 

Jonquils                  -              ......  86 

Lachenalias           .......  S6 

Lilies        ........  87 

Narcissuses           -             -             .....  88 

Ornithogalums     -------  89 

Oxalises                .......  90 

Paeonies                 -------  90 

Tulips                    -                         -----  92 

Tuberoses  --.-...96 

Tiger  Flowers                              -  9G 


INDEX  TO  COMPENDIUM  ON  THE  FIRST  PRINCIPLES  OF 
HORTICULTURE,  &c. 
Which  embraces  much  general  information  under  the  folloicing  heads  : 

Chap.  Page- 

I.  General  Nature  of  Plants     •            *             *             -            -  147 

II.  Pool                                      -                                      -  149 

III.  Stem 151 

IV.  Leaf-Buds             -             -             -            -            -             -  153 

V.  Leaves       -             -             .            .             .            -  155 

VI    Flowers                 - 156 

VII.  Sexes                   _...--  159 

VII.  Fruit -            -  161 

IX.  Seed          -,..---  163 

X.  Sap *  164 

XL  Air  and  Light       -             -            -            -            *            -  16j» 

XII.  Perspiration        -             -                          -             -            -  167 

XIII.  Cuttings  -  .*-■-■'--  168 
XVI.  Scions  ...---  l^JJ 
XV.  Translation                    ...*'-  17*s 


"W 


^^^^^mmi^^m^mi^mmmm^mmmmmmmmt 


I 


;: 


